Do you want to write?

When I decided to write the great American novel, I started doing my research, taking classes, talking to other authors, and pouring over writing magazines. However, the most important thing I did as a writer was WRITE.  I set a lofty goal of 2000 words a day. Some days I hit that goal and some days I did not. Some days the 2000 words were gold. More often, those 2000 words had to be modified, moved, deleted, changed…basically edited. But, still, I wrote.   Writing is like every other skill – the more you practice, the better you get.
The first novel took two years before I felt ready to send it to an editor. I could still be working on it today, but eventually you have to kick the bird out of the nest and see if it will fly. There were many lessons learned with Thorns of Deceit – things I will use in future novels.
The second novel, No Stone Unturned, took much less time to write.  It went to the editor in March after only about four months of consistent work (I had started an unrelated novel that I set aside in November to focus on this one).  I went through it three times from beginning to end and was ready to push it out of the nest.  When I sent it to her I knew the ending wasn’t right, but I didn’t want to write “filler” just to up my word count, so I stopped.  I told her and my beta reader what I thought and asked for their opinion.  A few weeks later the editor had made it to the ending and confirmed what I felt – it fell flat.
I was not surprised by her assessment.  What I have learned over time is that the books often write themselves – this couldn’t have been truer than the night I sat in my office and the ending for No Stone Unturned hit me. In just a couple of hours 2000 words typed themselves and created an ending. When I sent it back to the editor she sent me this in response: “OMG! Did you end with Chapter 113? Or is my display and printer not working?  I am out of breath! What an ending holy cow!”  I hope when you read it, you have the same response!

• When people ask me about writing. Whether it’s about the creative process, ideas, character development, or any other topic, the first piece of advice I give is to write. Just write. Set aside some time every day and put your fingers to the keyboard or pen to paper and write.  Set a goal. Ten minutes. Two hours. 200 words. Or 2000.  Just do it.
• Keep a list of characters with their descriptions. You can do this in a notebook, on your computer or do like I do and pin it on the wall. 
• Make time to read.  Read in the genre you write. Read in a genre you enjoy.  Read authors you are familiar with and authors you are not familiar with. Read for pleasure but also with a discerning eye.  Note what works and what doesn’t.  Learn from those who have already taken the path you are embarking on. The best writers are good readers.
• Find a place to write. Whether it’s an office space, a desk under a stairwell, a table at a café, a porch, or an airplane, find a place where you can focus on what you are doing without unnecessary distraction.  Find a place that inspires you.
• Absorb those around you for inspiration.   You will find your life is full of “characters” if you open your eyes and let yourself be in the moment.
• Find a writer’s group to join, or if you can’t find one, start one.  The nearest one to where I currently live is an hour away and I didn’t click with the group so I started Topsail Writers.  We meet at local coffee shops at least once a month and write. Writing can be a lonely job and it really helps to find others on the same journey. Whether they are writing fiction or non-fiction, it doesn’t matter. The inspiration and encouragement is priceless.

• Keep a journal, a notebook, or make a file in your computer for all of your story ideas. When you start writing you will be inspired in some of the craziest ways. Taming Wild Ponies was inspired by a horseback ride on the beach with two of my best girlfriends.  You won’t want to rely on your memory when you get ready to write the story.
• Lastly, have fun.  Enjoy the process.  Get lost in the story.  And when the words don’t seem to be flowing the way you want them to, take a break. Go for a walk.  Go do something else creative. I have gotten some of greatest ideas and inspiration doing something completely non-writing related!