I was drawn into the world of literature by default when my sister's growing collection of books in our tiny room began to overflow onto my bed. Bewildered by her fascination with these musty, decaying volumes, I decided to experience them for myself—and instantly fell in love.
If you love writing, if you feel it’s something you’re supposed to do, put aside the time to make it happen and assemble a team around you that will support your dream.
The review was wonderful. And, after years of trying to get published, after two novels that essentially fizzled, after all the hope and wondering…seeing my book in that magazine meant so much.
The market is tight and publishers are more cautious than ever about their purchases... This makes it difficult to break-in but there is always room for a fresh premise told well.
My number one rule of writing is always to write as though no one will ever read it. Because it allows you to be as bold and audacious and set aside the fear that so often plagues writers.
I fell into banking as an adult and I used to try to make my business memos interesting and funny out of sympathy for the poor bankers and customers and vendors who had to read them. Sometimes people would say, “Jamie, you write the best memos. You should be a writer.” And yet, it still didn’t occur to me to actually try it until I was in my thirties.
I represent authors who do both traditional publishing and self-publishing, and most of them are looking to move into traditional publishing because the pace and demand of a successful self-publishing platform takes its toll after a while. But, some authors thrive on it! It’s a personal decision based on the goals and needs of each author.
I’m a horrible procrastinator. I have the worst time starting new chapters or scenes, and I just force myself to sit in front of my blank screen and just type whatever I need to in order to get started.
Breathe, enjoy it. You’re chasing a dream and whether you’re in the valley or the mountaintop, being a dream chaser makes you the luckiest person in the world.
I don’t really believe in writer’s block—writing is a job just like any other. Your dentist doesn’t decide she can’t fill your cavity today because she’s “blocked”. She does the job, and so must you!
Good writing reflects clear thinking. If you’re struggling with how to write something, it’s almost always because you are not sure of what you’re trying to say.
Stop worrying about grammar and spelling and finding the perfect synonym. That’s what editing is for. Allow yourself to write badly the first time around. Nobody writes a best-selling, awarding-winning novel on the first try.
I’ve trained my body to need writing the way it needs oxygen, so the knot in my stomach and the burning sensation to set fingers to keys is motivation enough. Is it healthy? Probably not.
Storytelling has always intrigued me. It’s at the core of being a human being. It’s what makes us, us. Through it, we can learn about ourselves, about the world and our place in it.
It's really easy to compare numbers (number of likes, comments and reviews) and equate that to how good you are as a writer. But the fact is that everyone is at their own point in their writing journey and it takes time to become successful.
Whatever book marketing method you are passionate about is the one that will be most successful. Why? Because you’ll follow through, you’ll work at it, and you’ll enjoy yourself.
Fantasy author Erika Gardner has always been a storyteller seeking to find magic in the mundane. We talk to her about evocative soundtracks, why you should polish your work to perfection prior to submission and the value of taking a break.
The only way out is through. When deadlines are looming and I don’t know how to fix a problem, the only way to overcome is to keep working until it’s fixed. Eventually, a solution will arise.
In 2010 Amy E. Reichert entered NaNoWriMo and begun to write for the first time. During that month she discovered a passion for storytelling that hasn’t left her since. The life-long Wisconsinite now writes feel-good novels that celebrate the food and people of her state. We catch up with her to chat about comfort fiction, creating a skeleton draft and how Buffy the Vampire Slayer encouraged her to keep going.
It’s not too late to start writing your first novel. By the time my debut novel will be published, I will be almost 43. If you have ever had that dream of writing a book, do it. Don’t put it aside. Start writing now.
Jordanian-American author Natasha Tynes worked as a journalist in the Middle East for over a decade before writing her first fiction novel. We chat to her about how she stopped thinking about writing and begun actually doing it, the unusual way she found her publisher and why she doesn’t believe in writers’ block.
I thought, I want to do that. I want to write stories that evoke emotions in readers. I know this sounds oversimplified, but after that, I just sat down and started writing. I think storytelling has always been inside me. I just didn’t know I wanted to write down the stories I told myself in my head.
Karen Kutcher knows a thing or two about perseverance. It took her four novels and eight years to land an agent. It was another two years of waiting before she was able to hold her first published book in her hands. We chat to her about her writing routine (with thinking time scheduled in), the ongoing juggle of family life and how Oprah inspired her to start writing.
You need to celebrate the small wins, like an agent request or personalized feedback from an editor, because that really carries you through the constant rejection.
YA author Jennifer DiGiovanni thrives on a challenge; from taking up a new hobby (under the guise of book research), to running a small business and co-writing a book with a friend. We talk to her about finding the best time of day to write, seeking out writing mentors and her ‘soft’ approach to book marketing.
