Learning How To Write
I’d worked on a novel for several months, enjoyed the heck out of writing until I realized how little I knew about what I was doing. Writing can be a bit intimidating, and challenging, to say the least.
There’s more to writing than typing words and stringing sentences. I became discouraged the more I read about what to do and not do. Fear gripped me, and my muse left.
Flash Fiction saved my writing and returned my muse. She pranced back with a smile and twinkle in her eye. My sister urged me to try writing short stories after a few false starts, and a lot of nagging from her; I dove in the deep end.
The blogs that promoted writing challenges were gracious and kind with their critiques. There is no way I could thank them. For help me, they did. I’ve learned more about writing, through squeezing a lot into a few words, than I’ve room to convey in this short post.
But, here are some of the most important things I learned; less is more, be tight and concise, edit excess-then edit again, and most of all check it over after you think it’s perfect because you probably missed a mistake. Oh, and one other thing the old adage ‘timing is everything’ is true. Someone somewhere will enjoy what you have to say, you just need to find your audience. So don’t give up.
Now don’t get me wrong, I still have a long way to go. I haven’t finished my novel yet. I even continue to receive rejection notices. Can you believe that? What’s different? Now I also receive emails accepting my stories for publication.
So click on a fellow writer’s story, or blog, and comment. Encourage them because you never know how much influence you may have on their future as a writer.
