If you are anything like me, you listen to writers that you think have become successful in your definition of success. You take in every single word they say.
Over the past few years I have put my ear to the grind stone and have really tried to make my writing career just that. . .A CAREER.
The authors that I consider successful have a few tips in common, a few tips that they continue to say over and over when I hear them speak.
1) Write What You Want:
With the freedom to write the story you feel in your heart, you will be able to connect with the story, characters, and the plot.
With the wonderful world of self-publishing, we have defined our own success. We have blazed a way that has made us unique to our own worlds and words.
You have to freedom to spin the details as you want to. You have the wonderful advantage to fit your story into what ever genre you want to fit it into. That's amazing!
2) Write Every Single Day!
Butt in chair, hands on keyboard!! I don't know who came up with that statement, but it rings true every single time. There is no way you can produce a novel without the words. You can't publish a blank book, well. . .I guess you could, but they'd find you! They'd stone you! (Okay so they won't stone you, but you get the picture!)
3) Turn Off Your Inner Editor!
Give yourself permission to just write without the hassle of going back to edit your work. You have to go back and edit later, so wait! Get those words out of you head and on the paper.
If you stop to go back and edit, it ends up disrupting your flow of writing and you can't get back into the groove of things.
4) Be Inspired!
Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.
― Roald Dahl
Guys might roll their eyes at this, but there is something to be said about the perfect quote or image to help spark that great scene or plot point to continue with your manuscript.
For every novel I write, I keep a journal. I put the date in the front and begin to collect items, as I go along, that remind me of the idea. I let an idea/plot stew in my head for a few months before I even begin writing it. This is generally because I'm already deep in another novel.
Collecting these little tid-bits keeps me excited about the upcoming manuscript/novel, and when I am ready to sit down and start the new novel, I have all I need at my finger tips.
It might be as simple as finding a fence with an amazing background. I can plan an entire chapter around my character hanging out by that fence, along with describing the fence and background. Or even just the vivid colors are enough to spark my juices.
5) Read, Read, Read!!
I know you are so tired of hearing everyone telling you to read. Don't take it from me, take it from the MASTER!! Watch the video below!!!!
Share any tips that you may have for writers about writing and leave it in the comments! Until then. . .keep WRITING!
Awesome and sage advice Tonya! Thanks for sharing your much sought after wisdom! :)
ReplyDeleteGood tips here!
ReplyDeleteAnd actually, someone did publish a blank book. It was called something like, What Men Know About Women, and it was a huge seller - LOL!
Great tips!
ReplyDeleteThe only tip, or recommendation, I can think of is to read On Writing by Stephen King.
Great post. I do all of the above but I want to read more. Stephen is absolutely right.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I might add is to explore other cultures, it will help add dimension to your stories.
Absolutely excellent advice, Tonya, every point spot on. I might add a couple of things:
ReplyDelete5. Writing first, TV last.
And I'd add to #2, "...at the same TIME every day."
(IMO the single best time for that daily writing is first thing in the morning, before your head gets full of other people's words and the trivial garbage that seems to come at us from every direction. Get up earlier if you have, and write with the roaring caffeine rush. Try for an hour before the house wakes up, even if you have to get up earlier. It's an amazingly productive time. )
I know this will be very hard for some people. But ask yourself, just how badly do you want to write?
Love that Roald Dahl quote.
ReplyDeleteI think the most important part is to never lose the passion for writing. If you have some discipline and a burning passion, #1-5 will come to you easy.