Have you thought about writing a book?
There are so many people who have thought about writing a
book. The reason they haven’t? They just don’t know how to begin.
Fiction writing has so many options that it seems impossible to
know how to put it all together to create a page-turner, sometimes even to
those who write it. So, if you're just a
beginning writer, it may take some self-convincing to get started.
I’m hoping to dispense that fear of starting for most beginning
writers. Bottom line – all you need to
do is sit down in front of your screen (pad and paper if that’s your medium
preference) and start. It won’t be
brilliant at first – no one – especially you – should expect it to be
perfect. I promise you – it won’t
be.
The Beginner
Writer ~ My grandson is
fourteen and has already started writing his first novel. There are so many mistakes in writing format,
spelling, and head-jumping – but he’s started – and I’m so proud of him. At his young age he has all these scenes
worked out in his mind and we discussed the biggie: a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Surprising me, he already has major ideas for a second
book. Hey, don’t stifle that. Yes, he should be learning the basics of
writing and concentrate on his first book.
But never make the mistake of turning off a new idea – just because
you’re in the middle of a work-in-progress.
90% of the time, I’ll get inspiration for my next book somewhere in the
middle of writing a scene. What do I
do?
Easy. I open a new page
and type out the flood of information that strikes me. Sometimes it’s a paragraph, sometimes it’s
several pages. Why do I take time to do
this? Many years ago, I was in that
almost asleep – dream state – and the most incredible idea for a book came to
me. I felt the excitement of plotting
take over. It was such a fantastic idea
– I KNEW I’d remember it in the morning.
I’m sorry to admit, that incredible story idea still hasn’t
surfaced. All I remember is that it was
such an incredible plot and I was beyond excited about it.
Never let this happen to you.
Always keep a pad and pen plus a flashlight by your bedside. If you’re like me – many inspirational plots
occur to me either going into or coming out of sleep. You will not remember them in the morning –
unless you jot down the ideas right away.
One night I was in that almost asleep stage when a native man,
wolf headdress framing his face, came to me.
He watched an eagle sweep down toward him and grasp him by the shoulders
and fly away with him. It went on and on
… it was so real. I got out of bed,
turned on my computer, then started writing the scene I’d just observed. It ended up being five pages long. Two years later that exact scene fit perfectly
into the book I was writing; WHISPERING SUN … my first and best-selling book to
date.
My second bit of advice for beginner writers is to write
consistently every day. Where it be an
hour and several. Find the best time for
you to write. Do you need to get up an
hour earlier than everyone to have that quiet time? Or, are you like me? I write best in the quiet hours of then
night. I won’t bore you with the number
of times I’ve written until four or five am.
You have to find the time that works best for you … and then stick to
it. Self-discipline is key to becoming a
writer.
Why, you might ask? Well,
it’s not easy to take yourself away from all the actions of day-to-day. But a write must devote time to writing … and
the more you write – the better you get at it.
Soon you’ll find the words come easier, the thoughts flow onto the pages
easier, and you realize you’re not thinking about it … but you’re suddenly
adding sounds, textures, odors, tastes, as well as conversations. The more you write – you no longer have to
work so hard on the basics – they become second nature.
Bottom line – if you want to be a writer – you must to
write. Period.
An important question I must ask. Are you a reader? The best writers are those who read
voraciously. It doesn’t matter what you
read, just read. I find I read the genre
I’m writing. If I’m writing 1860s …
reading either novels or books on 1800s clothing, guns, language of time, or daily
life in the 1860s only helps fodder those realistic images I need to add to my
story.
Have you considered bouncing your story idea off an established
writer? Sharing your work and getting
their comments is a great way to improve your writing. Just be willing to be open-minded. If you take comments personally – then you
won’t benefit from them – we learn by making misstates. It’s all part of the process. Always take time to think about a criticism …
take it to-heart – then try to write better.
Believe it or not, in time you’ll receive more compliments than
criticism.
"Supposedly, Charles II of England had a lady friend, a duchess, ( I'm guessing Barbara Castlemaine, first Duchess of Cleveland ) who often borrowed his books, sometimes forgetting to return them. So, the king commissioned the court painter, Sir Peter Lely, and the court bookbinder, Samuel Mearne, to devise a secret method by which his books could be identified. Between the two, they worked out the clever technique. Some weeks later, when the king was visiting the duchess, he spotted a familiar looking book on a shelf. Taking it down he said, “I’ll just take my book along with me.” “But sire,” the lady protested, “that book is mine.” “Oh?" The king raised his brows. Then, with a sly smile, he fanned out the pages and revealed what had been painted on them--the royal coat of arms. The gilding on the outer edges had completely hidden the identification. Acknowledging that Charles had outwitted her, the duchess sank in a deep curtsy before her king. 
