I’ve been asked several times within the last couple of days if I have any advice for new writers. I’m a little uncomfortable giving advice, since most of the time I feel like I’m not sure what I’m doing myself. But I have made plenty of mistakes and I’ve learned from them. Here are some of the things I would tell new writers based on mistakes I’ve made in the past.
1.) Just do it.
Hands on keyboard, butt in chair. I know it’s scary. You’re wondering if you can do it. You’re frightened you don’t have the ability to finish a book or, worse, it will be really awful once it’s done. But if you have the desire to write the book, you can do it. If your first book is perfectly awful, guess what? That’s really not a bad thing. Really. It’s not bad thing if you learn from the mistakes you made in that book. If you use it as a learning tool. In fact, a bad first book can be the very best thing.
2.) While you’re just doing it, turn off your internal editor.
That internal editor is a killer. It whispers this sucks, this is wrong, this character is doing the wrong thing, this plot is weak, on and on and on. It can murder your book before you have a chance to really begin it. Give yourself a little room in your mind to just be free to write. Let your creativity off its leash for a while. At least during that first draft. The internal editor is GREAT for editing your work, but you want to keep a firm leash on it during that first draft so it doesn’t kill all your creativity or worse, make you quit writing it.
3.) Find a critique partner or a critique group.
I’ll warn you now; it’s not easy to find one that meshes with you and your personality. At least, that was my experience. I did finally find a small one that worked for me and, after that, a single person. They were all extremely helpful. Not only did they give me their take on my plots and characters, but they were there to support me when I had a rejection or celebrate with me when something good happened.
4.) And/or join a good writer’s organization.
RWA is a great one for romance writers. Joining an organization will not only provide you with much-needed support, but much-needed information as well.
5.) Finish the book.
No rewriting and perfecting that first chapter endlessly. Move on. Finish the whole thing. If you want to go back to the first chapter when you’re done, fine, but don’t let making it perfect become a convenient excuse to not write the rest of it
6.) Find an agent.
A good one. Don’t sign with the first yoob who shows interest. Research that person. You owe it to yourself to sign with the right agent and to sign the right contract. This is also why joining a writer’s organization is a good idea. The members will have opinions on just about everything, including agents.
7.) While you’re in the submission process, write something else.
It’s a really bad idea to sit there and angst about your submission. The submission process is very long and has all kinds of stomach lurching ups and downs. It’s far better to move in a positive direction. That means a new manuscript.
8.) Persevere
I read this quote today that seemed timely. It went something like, “Success happens to those who hang on after everyone else has let go.” Or something like that. I don’t know who said it, but it’s true. If you want it, hang on.
9.) Have confidence in yourself and in the stories you have to tell.
This is an extremely hard business that can crush your ego at every stage of the process. I’m not saying have an inflated ego, I’m saying believe in yourself and the stories you’re writing. If you can’t do that, you won’t get very far.