writing – Page 4 – Linda Nelson

I know, I’ve been missing in action for several months this summer. In the past, I diligently posted at least once a month. Lately, I’ve been saving my writing well for the work in progress.

So, how’s it been coming?

It’s going great. I went through a period where I was wracking my brain trying to remember what it was that I had done to get Witch Book done in that record amount of time. It seemed all elusive; there was no way I was going to be able to create another story in that short amount of time, or so I thought.

I’ve been struggling with a piece I started a few months ago. I managed to write just three or four chapters and then nothing. I couldn’t think of anything that would spark even myself. The story seemed lame, but others did comment that they were intrigued by the idea the first chapter sparked. But still, I didn’t know how to carry on with the story.

What was so special with the way I wrote, Witch Book?

I plotted that book, and even made character and setting sketches.

So I broke down this past week and dug out a book on writing that I bought way back when I first began working on, Friends of Choice. Back then, I didn’t understand a word that book said. It talked about character sketches and motivations and goals and setting sketches. Then there was the part about consistency and POV.

Four years later, I know what all those terms mean, thanks to my local RWA chapter. They’ve done a great job at teaching me the ropes.

The book, From First Draft To Finished Novel: A Writer’s Guide To Cohesive Story Building, by Karen S Wiesner, is loaded with worksheets, both character and setting, along with plotting, goal and motivation.

Above, is the book I’ve revisited. I know the terms in the book now, it all makes sense. In fact, after doing only half of the worksheets recommended for a proper pre-write, I’m getting that super strong urge to start writing that next chapter. Maybe even finish the darn book.

But, I’m going to hold myself back. I’m going to continue with the worksheets and use all of them. Hopefully this effect will have a springboard effect.

Come the end of September, I will let you all know the results of this little writing experiment.

Giveaway on Goodreads.com

I can’t forget to let you know about the paperback edition of Along Came Neil that I’m giving away on Goodreads.com. Stop by and check it out and enter to win my first of many to come YA Romances.

Have you been wondering what it’s like to be a self-published author?

I don’t want to scare you, but it is a lot of hard work and the learning process will take you down an immensely long and winding road.

The journey of the Self-published author is a dangerous one. Critique Partners, editors and most of all reviewers will jump out at you along the way. Each one will tell you how you should have done this with your story, or how you shouldn’t have done that with your story. And mind your grammar and spelling. Jesum crow!

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I see spelling mistakes all over Facebook. They are random mistakes that everyone makes. But being a self-published author you are not allowed to make those mistakes anymore. You are now about to embark on the journey of the elite.

This will be a learning process that will change the way you see yourself. At first you will think that everyone hates what you are writing. Maybe, you will even think that they are out to attack you. Some just might be. There are a few trolls out there that like to see what you are made of. Can they push your buttons and make you uptight by saying something mean and nasty about your story along with a single star rating?

When this happens, will you take what they say personally, or will you give them the benefit of the doubt and look over your story again to see if what they say is undoubtedly true or will you get all worked up and not read one more word of what they have written? Saying, they don’t know what they are talking about. Obviously they didn’t read the story. Meanwhile they did. Their review holds subliminal messages about what is wrong with your story.

The writing journey of the self-published author will continue if you have not fallen by the wayside to the dangers that are out there along the way. The dangers of self-doubt brought on by the reviewers who have left those nasty tidbits about your book.

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Well if your book is that awful – then fix it – you hold the power to change what you have written. You are allowed to revise your story as many times as you see fit. Obviously you will never be able to satisfy all the readers, but if you make just a few happy then you are learning to improve.

A few more years or months will go by and soon you will learn how to take the positive from a negative review. These will be your beta readers. They may be a dangerous bunch, but they will help shape your writing journey.

Continue that journey and never, ever stop learning to write one word at a time.