The biggest piece of advice I can offer you as you break into the writing world, or follow any other dream for that matter, is to rise above other people's negativity. People told me you can't get published without connections. I didn't know a soul. Lots more people told me the Must Love Dogs movie would never be made. Ha-ha. Long shots happen every day. Believe in them. Believe in yourself.
That being said, I think you have to do it because you love the work, not for fame or fortune, or even a movie. I sometimes hear from aspiring writers who are so focused on seeing their book on the shelves, they're not putting the time in on the important thing -- the writing. It has to be about the writing. You have to love the words, and be willing to dive back in again and again, until your book is as good as it can be. I'm grateful that I don't have to, but I would absolutely sit at the computer all day long and write my next novel for free. Each book teaches me so much, about the characters, about the world they live in, about myself.
In one of the many gifts of midlife, I've also learned that I don't have to write everybody's books, just mine. My gift as a novelist is to make people laugh. And also to recognize themselves and their quirky families and maybe feel a little bit better about them. I play to my strengths. I understand people, so my novels are character driven. I'm a huge eavesdropper, which has taught me to write dialog that rings true. So think about who you are and what unique qualities you have that will help you write the book (or paint the painting or compose the song) that only you can write (paint, sing).
And my final piece of advice: pick one thing and finish it. Creative people are good at lots of things. But if you choose one and focus all your energy and creativity on it, you'll go from good to better. I can't tell you how many times an aspiring writer has told me about her partially completed drafts of two novels and three short stories, not to mention that screenplay, all of which she's abandoned because she just got a great idea for a children's book.
Been there. And still, halfway through every novel, I struggle not to jump to a "better" idea, because the grass is always so much greener in front of the book I'm not really writing. I think some of it is fear. Once you finish something, you have to put it out there and hear what the world has to say about it. That part never gets any easier. But you do it anyway, because that's how you learn and grow, and how you get better at that place where your urge to create and your ability intersect. And even on your worst days, you'll be lucky enough to be living your dream.
CONVERSATION STARTER: Do you have lots of ideas, and if so, how do you know which one to pick? Join the party and give the rest of us some tips!
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The next feature book of the Getting Better All the Time group, Summer Blowout by Claire Cook is a hilarious and rambunctious story about a recently single woman who finds herself on a new path and hits all of the bumps life throws her along the way.
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Comments: 34
Thanks. This was one of the hardest parts for me to learn. Once you get that discovery draft finished, you can go back in and tweak it until it's where you want it to be. And I bet it's not boring at all!
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I was a teacher when I wrote my first novel, so I hear you! In fact, my next video will be about just those time challenges, so I hope you'll check back in. And enjoy your summer -- one of the best perks of being a teacher!
Thanks! And, yes, tenacity is key!
Thanks so much. And I'm so glad you'll be reading Summer Blowout this weekend. Enjoy!
My pleasure! Thanks for commenting back.
Thanks so much! And thanks for reading -- and commenting!
Hope it leads you to good places!
I think it's really common that by the time you get to the end of a first draft, you've learned a lot about what you want your book to be. So then you go to a second draft, and some of it still works, but the rest just falls apart. It feels like a giant, overwhelming puzzle, and you'll never find a place for all those stupid little pieces! Just keep reminding yourself this is how you get a better book. Get rid of the parts that don't work, and figure out what will work. If I think about the whole book, it feels overwhelming, so just take it one page at a time!
I also never seem to have the time to write anymore, 40+ hours a week at a Credit Union and a boyfriend that doesn't know how to relax really eats up my time. o.O
Anyway, thanks again... I love hearing the advice of the more accomplished :-)
I'm thinking something small, like a character enters a scene holding an egg beater and then see how that goes. You know, it's a typical writing exercise, but it can also serve to juice things up, like biting into a cherry tomato and squirting someone across the caféteria table in the ear. ;-)
I think finding time to write is a challenge for all of us! Check back for my next video, where I'll share my tips for that. I hope they're helpful.
Thanks for writing!
That's a great way to look at it!
Thanks so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying Summer Blowout!
Great advice to KEO! When I'm stuck, I also sometimes go character to character, just playing "What if..."
Now there's a question!!!
You're welcome. I'm glad it resonated for you! It certainly took a while for me to get the hang of it, but it's made all the difference. The next video I post will talk about pushing that book forward, so stay tuned....
It's a great mantra! So interesting to think of it in terms of quilting. I love the UFO drawing idea. I wonder if writers could do it with unfinished manuscripts!
Claire, I especially like your advice here and last night = just to sit down and do it. I scatter myself too much...Well, back to the grindstone...
I'm glad it's helpful. And so great to meet you last night. Now, get to work!!!!
So I started an ideas notebook. If I think I have a great idea, I write it down. And then forget it and stick with my current project. When I'm ready for a new project, I sort through the ideas. The one that strikes me as most interesting after a time-out interval is the one I devote time to.
When you have ideas swimming in your head (in the same pool with the sharks asking if it's marketable or even interesting), it's impossible to sort things out and get to work. It's easier to get it down on paper (or disk), where you can be critical without deleting any ideas that might, over time, develop into the top idea.
So my first book might not be Da Vinci top ten, but is definitely my top ten!