We are all so busy trying to figure out what the magic formula is to writing success. We scour the Internet looking for the writing tips that are going to propel us into the writing success stratosphere.
As soon as we hear about a new writer that scored that big deal, new agent, bestsellers list, indie break through, indie that signed a big publishing deal, we try to figure out everything that person did to get that success.
I teach a lot of writers workshops. While I'm getting ready for my big ole presentation that they are all there to hear, they chat among themselves. Of course I'm listening as I'm setting up. There seemed to be a pattern of what they are discussing. . .
"A real writer plots out the novel from beginning to end."
"A real writer doesn't plot. She lets her characters talk to her."
"A real writer creates a character worksheet for all of her characters."
"A real writer never creates a character worksheet. She knows her characters."
"A real writer pampers her muse."
"A real writer collages her novel for inspiration."
"A real writer spends a lot of hours marketing and promoting."
"A real writer writes for hours and hours every day."
"A real writer 5k words a day and doesn't move until they are done."
"A real writer never lets anything get in her way."
Wow! SUPER WOW! It really hit me that we are spending so much of our time trying to figure out what is the right way to write.
We are all different. We have all made success in our own way. Some of us have a writing process, some of us plot, some of us pants, some of us market more than others, some of us blog, some of us have a word limit a day, etc. . .BUT is any of this the right way?
NO!
What ever feels good to you is the right way! We are so busy trying to figure out what we should be doing instead staying focused on what made us love what we do. We WRITE.
If it takes you a month to write a novel~AMAZING!
If it takes you a year to write a novel~AMAZING!
If you can write 500 words a day~AMAZING!
If you jot down a thought, that could be the idea of your next novel.
If you write one sentence, that could be the best sentence in your entire novel.
There is no wrong or right way to write. You are the author. You are the one who is going to make your dreams come true. Don't get discouraged when you hear that a writer on Facebook wrote 3k words that day. We all have lives that ebb and flow. You have some really bad writing days and some really good writing days. But they are YOUR writing days.
Your way is the write way!
Exactly! And how boring would it be if we were all alike.
ReplyDeleteWe'd be so boring, Carol.
DeleteAs usual, I love what you have to say. I like the fact that I do things my own way. If I wanted one set of rules, I would work for some corporation (ick - never, again)
ReplyDeleteThanks,
KT
Ick. . .I hear ya!
DeleteYou really hit the proverbial nail on the head with this one. I spent years trying to figure out how to do it. The result was that, when I sat down to write, I was paralyzed with all the stuff in my head. So I boxed it all up. And one day I will start over and do it my way. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
ReplyDeleteI really needed to hear that. I've been listening to the "doubt monster" all day. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh, Shelly. Push those doubt monsters to the side and stomp on them!
DeleteWhew, I needed that. Like a breath of fresh air. Thanks! Whatever works. :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely had no clue of how or why my eyes landed gaze onto this post. Nonetheless I read and embraced every word. All I know is your words has only strengthen that inner voice of self-belief to !shout "I SHONUFF CAN DO THIS!" Thank you! Tootles...SimplyyMayra
ReplyDeleteI'm going through a major rethink of the whole Publish As You go system. In 6 months, I have a mess of WIPs. Planning to take a break from the social media ball and get focused on my many projects, one project at a time. I know it's "money on the table" and book unpublished can sell, but I'm thinking that building up a library of titles to control their release dates will help me long term so that I can consistently deliver to my readers. I have young children, so my time is not predictable.
ReplyDelete