Dear Annie:
I’ve just begun to write after waiting for the opportunity for
years. Where do I begin? Is it better to simply sit down and write? Or should I
take brush-up courses on technique or find a critique group to work with before
I begin?
~ Eager to Write
Dear Eager to Write:
Things change in the industry over time. Familiarize yourself with
the current expectations of publishing houses. Learn the requirements of the
genre in which you hope to write; learn about the currently preferred
viewpoints and tenses; and above all, brush up on your basic writing skills.
Without a thorough understanding of rules for grammar and sentence structure,
your attempt to hone creative skills will lack a necessary foundation. You’ll
drive those improper word arrangements deeper and deeper into your subconscious
mind. That, dear reader, is a recipe for stagnation rather than growth.
Dear Annie:
I’ve brushed up on my writing technique and I’ve found a critique
group. I’ve completed my first short story and researched sources to which I
might submit. Am I ready to push the send button?
~ Ready to Go
Dear Ready to Go:
Have you read through your manuscript when you were fresh, after a
good night’s sleep? Try reading several times for content and another several
for grammar and spelling problems. Though I do this multiple times, I still
find a need for improvements on each go round. Our work is never done, fellow
grasshopper. If you have edited and re-edited your story until you are positive
that it is your best writing, yes. Take a deep breath and press send.
Dear Annie:
I’ve sent off my first story, and now I’m having trouble thinking
of another plot. What to do?
~Lacking Imagination in Colorado
Dear Lacking Imagination:
Don’t fret. If you tense up,
you’ll have a more difficult time. Let your mind wander while thinking of a
theme that is important to you —a subject or cause that touches you. Get out
into the world and observe people and their lives. Interview those who have
experienced something about which you hope to write.
I’m not suggesting that you
interview a serial killer unless he or she has been safely locked away in
a high security prison. As writers, we are comfortable before a computer
creating worlds and structuring events in fictional lives. We need a balance
between reality and imagination. It is from our own and vicarious life
experiences that we draw our ideas and passions. Only by feeling a situation
deeply can we recreate that emotion in our readers. So take a hike at Garden of
the Gods. You may meet a homeless person whose story inspires you.
Dear Annie:
Sometimes I get so involved in building my platform that I don’t
have adequate time to write. Do I really need to cultivate this huge following
to be successful? Or is it better to commit my time to improving my written
word?
~Dazed and Confused
Dear Dazed and Confused:
In my opinion, the amount of time called for depends on where one
is on the road to success. Be reasonable about the time you invest toward this
purpose. If one creates a platform but fails to deliver a worthy product, his
followers will dwindle faster than they were accumulated. On the other hand,
the ability you foster in yourself can never be lost. If you write well,
readers will find you just as the famous baseball players found Kevin Costner’s
field of dreams.
Dear Annie:
I’ve put heart and soul into a novel for three long years. When I
sent out my manuscript, I received only rejections. Where does a writer find
the courage to go on? The “devil” keeps whispering, “You’ll never get
published.” It’s too easy to believe his discouraging message while knowing the
actual odds.
~Disillusioned
Dear Disillusioned:
If you are driven to continue writing after a day or two of
lamenting over your disappointment, you are a writer whether
you are published or not. No one with your drive can avoid improving his
skills. You have heard “the call,” my friend. Keep writing if only for
self-fulfillment. Don’t ever give up.
Remember, your day may come; but if fate disappoints you,
you'll have had a whole lot of fun.
This was just such a hoot to read (and insightful, too).
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