Afreek
asked
Michael J. Sullivan:
English as my second language i am not very good at writing, but i have stories i want to put out in the world. Where do i start? How should map out the story i hold so dear to me?
Michael J. Sullivan
Hey Afreek,
I'm always glad to meet authors who are just starting out. In general writers fall into one of three categories: discovery, outliners, or hybrid (who do a bit of both). It's impossible for me to tell you which way to go, as every other is different. My suggestions.
First, write in your native language, as that'll give you one less thing to worry about. You (or someone else) can always have it translated into English later on.
Second, because you mentioned "mapping out" I suggest you do lean more toward outliner than discovery writing. I'd do some "tent pole" writing where you decide your beginning and ending, and then have a few key points in the story that you are going to hit. Then just start writing! The important thing is to develop some discipline and write everyday (even if it's only for a small amount of time. The more you write, the more you'll understand what works well for you personally. So just dive in and see how it goes! I wish you great success.
I'm always glad to meet authors who are just starting out. In general writers fall into one of three categories: discovery, outliners, or hybrid (who do a bit of both). It's impossible for me to tell you which way to go, as every other is different. My suggestions.
First, write in your native language, as that'll give you one less thing to worry about. You (or someone else) can always have it translated into English later on.
Second, because you mentioned "mapping out" I suggest you do lean more toward outliner than discovery writing. I'd do some "tent pole" writing where you decide your beginning and ending, and then have a few key points in the story that you are going to hit. Then just start writing! The important thing is to develop some discipline and write everyday (even if it's only for a small amount of time. The more you write, the more you'll understand what works well for you personally. So just dive in and see how it goes! I wish you great success.
More Answered Questions
Robert Warner
asked
Michael J. Sullivan:
Hello, Michael! I recently devoured your Riyria series and enjoyed it immensely. I've also been impressed with how active you seem to be with your fans and the community here at Goodreads, which drove me to ask this question. I'm an aspiring amateur writer myself, but I've been having trouble getting feedback on my work. Do you have any advice on methods or avenues through which to ask for comments or reviews?
Matthew Sampson
asked
Michael J. Sullivan:
Good day, I am wondering if you would share the story of how you got paired up with Tim Gerard Reynolds as your narrator? Is that something that was simply blind luck with what the publisher decided for you or is there some other connection there? Narrators obviously have an enormous impact on the success of a book and I don’t think you could have anyone better than him reading your work! He is fantastic!
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