What I Have Learned About Writing

When I first moved back to Connecticut after living in California for seven years, I took a job that required a 4-hour per day train commute. I have always been an avid reader and after spending about a year and a half reading at least one book per week, I decided to write a book. I had no idea how to begin or if I even possessed the talent, but I was determined to try. One night I had a vivid dream about a dream catcher and it inspired me to write my first novel. At that time I did not have a laptop so I would sit on the train with a small notebook and pencil and write. I happened to discover a writing group called Connecticut Romance Writers of America (CTRWA), who was having an event called Fiction Fest, and I decided to attend.

Of course, being new, I was quite overwhelmed, but found everyone there to be quite friendly and helpful, so I joined the group. This group has quite a set-up. Their goal is to help new authors get published. They have critique groups and a mentor program which will point you in the right direction. I was assigned a mentor and started to fine tune my novel.

That's when the writing gremlins started to attack. You know, those little voices in your head that say, "What makes you think you can write?" or "What do you think you're doing … you're not a writer and you'll never get this published!" So, I started to question myself. What happened next? Well, my mentors and friends encouraged me. They told me I had talent and to never stop believing in myself or my story. I try to surround myself with positive energy, generated by positive people.

I continue to write, and although not yet published, I have come a long way. I still have my moments where the gremlin voices try to sneak into my thoughts, but I quickly silence them by reminding myself that my mentors and friends believe in me. I remind myself that I do have writing talent and I believe in my manuscripts. I continue to learn about my craft and at every possible opportunity seek to promote my work to agents and editors.

Even though I am a relatively new writer and I have taken away a lot from my experience, the most important things I have learned are when the gremlin voices start yelping at me as I write, I quickly shut them off; I keep working because writing inspires inspiration; I give myself permission to write badly … I can always fix it later, and above all, to believe in myself and to never give up;. I hope these words find their way to those who need to hear them. Cast out the gremlins, believe …. and most of all, keep writing.

Gerri Brousseau

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