Just like you and me
At writer group meetings and events, you hear, even pay to hear, stories from authors who may have published a dozen or more books. You may be feeling glum — struggling to write “the end” on your first. There are so many things to get right. It seems amazing that people can be so productive. They gain awards and other recognition — like you paying to listen to them — and sell hundreds, thousands of books. Hearing this makes the full process of getting published appear more formidable.
Attend some of these events. Talk to presenters and members of the audience and you will see that it turns out that these people are just like you and me. They talk about their family taking up time, lack of space to work, sick pets and people, and worry if …
Cobwebs somewhat cleared
Getting into some writing has cleared out the dusty recesses. There is a lot to sort out. I remind myself to stay disciplined and prioritize. Keeping the path — especially the next step — clear is one way to maintain crispy clarity as you scratch away. Watch yourself.
At times, ideas for projects will flood your brain. Unexpectedly, they will jump out at you, trying to gain attention. They must immediately be set aside, or they will clog your thinking as you dream about playing with the shiny new toy. Don’t say to yourself, “I’ll do it later.” and hope you will remember. It will turn to …
Pull at the heartstrings and entertain the mind
When readers pick up your book and settle into their reading retreat, you want them to read it right to the final full stop. How do you want them to feel? Hopefully, the worded magic has treated them well as they happily twist and turn at your every clever scene change, character interaction, tortuous emotional routes, and powerful action. Blend all these carefully as you propel the reader through the script. You can have too much of a good thing.
Write, right now
Have you always thought you would like to write books, poetry, or maybe a memoir, a text on your hobby or area of expertise? Have you done that yet?
Isn’t it hard to take that deep breath and dive in? Took me forever. There are times when you can just get to it, and others where your progress stumbles all over the place. I can tell you that once you get going, quickly or slowly, you will experience one of life’s joys. You get to create …
Take time to grow
I am now aware that the job of a writer involves far more that polishing that final draft of a novel or fine-tuning the rhythm of a series of poems. Between writing binges, almost daily, I come across new ideas, demands, and experts. Some are valuable, others a total waste. In-your-face media suggests, convinces, urges you to follow all manner of systems to become successful.
Don’t feel overwhelmed …
I woke up and felt compelled to write
Just recently, my passion to write returned. I had been avoiding pen and paper. Screen and keyboard too. The ideas for books, articles, and comment had become slovenly when it came to revealing themselves. One morning, I realized that something had driven them out of hiding. Yeeha! Now to get on with it. Such a relief. Like recovering from an illness.
Have you ever …
Makeup on your cover
Finishing the words that your book will hold is a milestone worthy of some personal backslapping. Spending time and, often, a sizeable chunk of money ensuring all manner of language requirements have been met, seeking feedback on story and structure, and exploring possible markets are some of the many pieces in the writing puzzle.
Why do people get off before the final stop?
Readers show interest in your work the second they carefully risk all and pick it from several thousand possibles and probables. The hard part is done. Why is it that readers do not become fans and eagerly search lists for another opportunity to read more from the same author? Some answers to that question are uncovered in this article.
I’ll grab a coffee and write a few lines
Some of us are lucky enough to have time we can allocate to our dreamy world of writing and others long for such moments. To get that piece finished, you must have a firm commitment in your mind about why you want to finish it, what it will look like when it is done, what it will mean for you, what you want to do next.
Write two three four Write two three four
What will be the discipline that converts your dreams of finished works into finished works? Invariably, if you want to reach your goals, you must incorporate discipline into your routine. Most of life’s goals demand this. You already know many on the list: get fit, pass an exam or two, learn lines for your role in a play, take better photos … You get the drift, hopefully without my boring you.
Reading is not a sport
How many books have you read? Funny, as a writer, you will often be asked this. Some writers read so much they cannot find space in their manufacturedly busy day to add words to the new world they left abandoned and floundering, waiting (im?)patiently to be set free on paper or screen. In the life of a seriously productive writer, there is always time for writing. It is reading time that must become the product of your manufactured moments.
Good writers read
Once you have pulled the dusty, cobweb-draped, musty words of your first novel from your creative vault and plastered them onto page or screen, you have all you need. Just like that. Have any new, less dusty, certainly without arachnid house-weaving material and better smelling ideas forced themselves on you while you did this? Write them in before they escape.