3 common misconceptions for authors and want-to-be authors
Kristen Lamb, awesome chick extraordinaire, wrote a blog which has inspired me to write this one. If you aren’t following Kristen yet, check her out
When it comes to writing and writers, I think that there are many perceptions in the world that are completely off base. This is both from a non-writer’s perspective, and a writer’s perspective.
I want to shed some light, truth, and tips on 3 of these perceptions. So, let’s get cracking!
#1 : Writing a novel is going to be all fun and easy Most people never actually finish writing a manuscript, because they realise just how difficult it is to write a novel. It’s not just about typing words, but about telling a story, keeping the reader engaged, and maintaining a level of entertainment. Yes, at times it is fun ^^, but a lot of the time it is like hand crafting the tiles to the Sisteen Chapel.
The important thing is to expect that it will be tough, but never to give up. Having said that, it is not a good idea to want to write a novel when your life is generally already overwhelmed. You will start swimming and quickly sink.
#2 I’ve written a manuscript! I’m done! I’ve experienced this myself, when I wrote my first manuscript. I had the idea that I could send it to publishers, land a contract, and start earning decent money as a writer. Wrong? Oh yes. I *DID* manage to land a publisher, but oh my god, did I have a lot to learn, and I am still recouping my own costs in the process. I have written about POD publishers, and you should beware! Be careful what you get into, and as soon as you’re paying out for publisher’s services, it’s a sure sign that something is amiss. When a manuscript is written, it generally will *not* be publishable. As much as we love our work, it will be full of mistakes and i’m sorry to break this to you, but the work has only just begun. Now, you can totally go ahead and publish, because in this day and age, nothing will actually stop you from doing so. But if you publish something that is a mess, that will be reflected in the reviews you receive.
With each book we write, we improve as authors… so long as we don’t stick our head in the sand and have a complex that we are just perfect the way we are. Nobody is perfect, not Stephen King (although he is pretty darned close LOL), or Tolkien. Be modest, and on a continual quest to learn and improve.
#3 I published my book through Createspace. Wow, I’m a published author! Not meaning to be negative or to rain on anyone’s parade, but absolutely anyone can jump on createspace/Amazon KDP, upload a manuscript with no quality check or proofreading whatsoever, hit publish and put their work on the Amazon marketplace.
I too often see that happen and then: OMFG Like, I’m a published author, and like, i’m going to be famous. :-/ The train crash called reality is coming, and I don’t think that those “published authors” will see it before it hits. This is the problem with the flood of indie “authors” who publish without taking their craft and work seriously. It also makes it incredibly difficult to find decent work in the haystack of mediocrity.
Not to take away from their achievement, because writing a book *is* hard work, and that alone is a feat worth celebrating, but being a published author is a title which is too easily attained. The real test of our work begins as soon as we start getting reviews. For those authors who are buying reviews or trading for favourable reviews; you are doing yourselves no favours at all, because people will download it and wonder what those reviewers were smoking. Stick with honesty, even if it stings. Pain is your friend, and feedback is something you should crave, not fear.
Now, I am not egotistical, and I don’t think that my books are better than everyone elses, but having the discipline and professionalism to make your book publishable will make a world of a difference. Spend the time to have the book proofread, and I don’t mean by your best friend/mother/sister/brother/uncle.
The bottom line for anyone who wants to write, is writing, or has finished a manuscript is: Expect hard work that never stops, stay honest and true, both with your readers and with yourself.
