To be honest, when I started writing Scars of Iron, my debut futuristic fantasy novel, I had no clue what I was doing, and that was the real beauty of it. I’d maybe send it to a competition to make some money, or maybe sell it to a publisher. I didn’t know how to outline, and I didn’t know how to craft a story… so I researched. I took master classes, got a writing mentor, and put all of my energy into my newest project. Then it got published. That’s a long story made short, but you get the basics.
Then, when I started writing my next book, I knew that I could get it to go somewhere. So when I started writing the first draft I found myself editing chapters over and over again as I was trying to write. This held me back, I didn’t know what I was doing wrong. I decided to take a course on creative writing, but that didn’t help. I watched hours of videos on YouTube about writer’s block, and that sucked so much of my time with little yield. But when I got back into my groove of writing, I figured a few things out. So here are those tips that I wish I knew from the beginning.
Your first draft will be messy
A first draft is the first time you write all of your ideas down on paper. This does not need to be pretty and it sure does not need not be grammatically correct. By stressing about your first draft and going back to edit as you write, you’ll inevitably get stuck. So when you write this draft make sure you dedicate your time to being creative and messy and free. It’s a very special, and very fun, part of the writing process. Let yourself mess up and let yourself write everything and anything your heart desires because there is always a second draft where you can go back and fix it all.
Writers Have a Different language
Going to your first conference, meeting with your first possible agent, or even doing a bit of your own research on the internet will be no easy task when you are a writer. The language writers, publishers, editors, and readers use can seem so foreign, and you may feel overwhelmed in the beginning. Just know that we all start somewhere, and with the resources found in module 1, you’ll be completely fine (once you study up a bit).
You don’t need to study writing in school
When I took my first creative writing course in university, I had already written and published my first book. I found myself bored and being taught things that I had already learned through writing my first novel. I’m not saying that those classes are not valuable to some, but I am saying that for the amount of time and money they cost, they are definitely not as necessary as people want you to think.
You will learn more about writing through writing your own book than from any class a university has to offer. But it takes a long time if you do this all on your own, so that’s why I created this course!
Read, Read, Read
There is no better way to get to know the genre you want to be writing in than reading, and everything else you can get your hands on. Through reading, you will naturally begin to pick up on the fine details of the art of storytelling, pacing, and character development. You will discover what you like as a reader before you find what you like as a writer, which is highly important since we write for the readers.
When you feel stuck in your draft, or you aren’t sure if your book fits the genre you want, pick up another book and get to reading. This will spark your imagination, help with developing your own voice, and get you back to writing.
Know the end of your story
Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, you need to be working towards anend goal. This might mean the victory of a character or the personal triumph of your reader, whatever it is, this will be your driving force in writing and publishing. When you know the end and put all of your efforts into reaching that goal, your topics will be laser-focused, you will stay on track, and you will maintain motivation!
