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Each book that you write provides
its own set of lessons.
Why This?
It is important not only to have
something to say, but to understand why you need to say
this. You will spend a lot of time with your chosen subject, so be
sure it is the right subject for you, at this time. You don't need to
know the entirety of your story at this point--in fact it would be
surprising if you did. But the decision to write about this
must be firmly resolved, even if you still have much to learn about your
topic. Once you commit to your idea, mentally resolve to see it through.
This is important. Writing a book requires staying power, and there will
come times when your resolve may falter.
Outlining
Every writer has their own approach
to outlining. I outline from the very beginning, literally creating a
story line on a piece of paper before I write even one paragraph. I
pencil in major and minor events at various points in my story, and
gradually fill in the gaps as my mind conjures up new stuff. Only when I
have a fairly complete progression do I actually start to write.
This helps me in a couple ways.
First, if I have a general idea of how the story will progress, I can
build the foundation for events that I know will come later. Second,
this outline gives me something to write towards. If my character
is on Hill A, and by the beginning of the next chapter he has to
rescue a maiden on Hill B, then my task is to move the character from A
to B. It helps to know where you're headed, and the outline is a
critical part of this process.
Sometimes writers outline only when
their work is finished, as documentation. Everyone works differently,
and for some this may be fine. In my opinion, if you're going to use an
outline, you might as well do it when it would be useful as a tool while
your work is in progress.
Rules are Rules, Usually...
In writing, rules rule. These rules
are all about grammar, usage, syntax, and the other structural
underpinnings of the written word. Learn the rules. It's okay to break
writing rules occasionally, as long as you understand the rule you are
breaking, and are breaking it for a reason that advances your writing.
Grammar books don't always help in
the real world, so to see how certain grammar rules are applied you must
consult the experts. Works by well-known authors should be
punctuated correctly, and can be an excellent guide as to how certain
complex grammar constructs are handled. Regularly published authors,
with their legions of editors, are an excellent reference.
For example, how are quotes handled
within an interrupted dialogue that also incorporates unspoken thoughts?
Sometimes you will find
contradictory models in different books, or even within the same book.
If the usage is ambiguous, it just shows that others are facing the same
challenges. Keep looking!
Bottom line--learn the rules, use
the rules correctly so that your writing will be grammatically correct,
and when the rules are unclear to you, see how other writers handle the
situation. Break the rules when necessary, but...
Know the rules.
Alone Again...
Writing is a solitary activity. In
the end it is you and your keyboard that will spend the most time
together while writing. Unless you are dictating to someone, the first
person to know what you are writing is you. But how do you know if it's
any good? If it resonates?
Someone else has to read and comment
on it.
Of course, as a writer you can read
what you have written and decide if it's good or bad, and in the end you
have to decide what to keep, what to change, and what to discard. But
the feedback of others is invaluable. When writing my first book,
Palm Sunday, I had a trusted friend read an early version. She
said it was hard to follow the dialogue, and when I looked at it again,
she was right. I made changes.
Writers tend to be thin-skinned
about their creation, but you need to get over this. Find people you
trust--not to tell you how great you are, but to tell you what's wrong
with your writing. Other writers will often value this reciprocal
honesty regarding work product. If you can hook up with someone whose
work and judgment you respect, to exchange manuscripts, then you are
well ahead of the game. An 'outside' perspective on what you have
written from someone you can trust to be truthful is essential to
advancing your work.
Rewrite This...
Just accept it. Your writing will
never be as good as you can make it. One more rewrite. One more rewrite.
After twenty rewrites, you'll still be saying the same thing. That's
fine. You have to rewrite. When I start to get near the end of a
manuscript, I try to find the weakest chapter, the most flawed page.
Then I endeavor to make this weakest chapter into the strongest chapter,
this flawed page into the best page.
Often it comes down to flow, the
turn of a particular phrase, the choice of a different word. This is
what rewriting is all about--deciding if there's a better way to say it,
and then saying it. Rewriting is a perpetual cycle of finding a better
way. It never ends, but at some point you must stop. When do you stop
rewriting? I can't say.
Other Tidbits
Make backups of your work. Even go
so far as to periodically print out a full copy of your manuscript.
Computers crash, hard drives get wiped out, CDs fail. I've worked with
computers for many years.
Back up.
Every writer needs time away from
writing to rejuvenate and reenergize. Make time for these breaks. Make
time for a good night's sleep. Eat right. Exercise.
What is your book about?
This is the most common question
potential readers will ask you, and you must be able to answer in one
coherent sentence of less than four hundred words.
When someone asks about your book,
you need to hook them. A dissertation won't accomplish this. You need a
good one-liner to sum up your story and capture interest.
"My book is about..."
This summary will be used over and
over for media quotes, interviews, and anywhere that you are in a
position to discuss your book. You will need this sentence, so perfect
it.
Don't Give Up
Finally, don't give up. Although you
will get discouraged, and you will realize, time and again, that
everything you have written is garbage, and you will decide you are a
fool to think you had any talent as a writer, be of good cheer. You are
on the right path.
Any writer that has never had these
thoughts is either a liar or will have these thoughts eventually. Self
doubt is part of the game, maybe because writing is such a personal
revelation. It is no great failure to not be a good writer. Good writers
are in the minority, and vastly so.
What is a failure is to be a good
writer, and to not use that talent. Allow yourself the occasional
discouragement, but don't tarry in that land too long. Write yourself
out of it.
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