Madeline Miller
My first answer is: read. Read absolutely everything you can find, in great quantity and variety. And when you find something really wonderful, read it first as a reader, and then again as a writer: where you're watching to see how the author makes the magic happen.
2) Write what you are passionate about. I sometimes hear people talk about trying to catch the market, and write the perfect on-trend smash hit. Maybe there are some few who can really do that, but for most writers I know, if you're trying to write a bestseller, you're wasting your time. Write what you love, write the story you are obsessed with, that you've been boring your friends with for years. Write the thing that won't let you go until you give it shape in the world.
3) Don't give up if you write a bad draft. Bad drafts are completely normal, and part of the process. You have to write the bad drafts to get to the better ones. Don't be afraid to throw things out.
4) When you are feeling low, reach out to other writers. Attending workshops can be a great way to remind you that you are not alone. Or go to a reading at a wonderful bookstore.
5) Every writer is different, so in the end, set all advice aside, and do whatever works for you.
2) Write what you are passionate about. I sometimes hear people talk about trying to catch the market, and write the perfect on-trend smash hit. Maybe there are some few who can really do that, but for most writers I know, if you're trying to write a bestseller, you're wasting your time. Write what you love, write the story you are obsessed with, that you've been boring your friends with for years. Write the thing that won't let you go until you give it shape in the world.
3) Don't give up if you write a bad draft. Bad drafts are completely normal, and part of the process. You have to write the bad drafts to get to the better ones. Don't be afraid to throw things out.
4) When you are feeling low, reach out to other writers. Attending workshops can be a great way to remind you that you are not alone. Or go to a reading at a wonderful bookstore.
5) Every writer is different, so in the end, set all advice aside, and do whatever works for you.
More Answered Questions
Carly Lyn
asked
Madeline Miller:
Song of Achilles is my all-time favorite book and now Circe is as well. What I love about them both is the complexity of the characters' relationships. Both books are un-put-downable but also super character-driven. What's your approach to creating that page-turning ability in books that are mostly about feelings? What's your revision process like? Do you do a lot of cutting? Restructuring? Filling out?
A Goodreads user
asked
Madeline Miller:
Is there a genre that you haven't yet written that you'd like to write?
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Nov 04, 2021 03:51PM · flag
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