Nigel Edwards
There are several things that any writer, aspiring or not, should consider:
1. Read. Doesn't matter what, just read. Back of a cereal packet, cartoons in newspapers, Shades of Grey, War and Peace, whatever. Reading is one of the best ways to learn. Even when we're not paying especial attention to what it is we're looking at, we are still absorbing things subconsciously: sentence structures, word choices, alternative grammar, transatlantic spelling. Advertisements, for example, are a great source for learning how to encapsulate messages concisely using misdirection, humour and lying.
2. Join a writer's group and LISTEN to what's said. Now, not all such groups will suit all writers, so you may need to try out one or two before you find the one that's right for you, but persevere because the rewards are well worth it.
With such a group you will likely need to grow a thick skin. You will need to be able to critique the work of others, which is a thing I still find incredibly hard to do. I'm always worried I might upset or offend somebody by saying "Nope, you didn't get that right". Try not to be like a certain Strictly Come Dancing judge, and avoid being cruel!
But third-party, constructive criticism is, in my opinion, the absolute best way any writer can improve. If you wrote something and everybody said "Yep, that's great", what would be the result? You'd probably just keep re-writing the same thing over and over again, which means your talent might never grow and, when your work is eventually placed in front of a larger audience, you might well end up feeling a right idiot when it turns out that the wider public thinks your writing is rubbish.. Far better to receive "Yes, that's good, but, have you considered..." because then you have something to build on in your next project.
3. When no literary agency or publishing house is prepared to give you the time of day, but you (and your peers, hopefully) are convinced your work is up to the mark, do it yourself. Be brave and go down the self-publishing route (though be careful of vanity publishing, unless you've got loads of money to burn, aren't at all bothered about who actually reads your work, and don't care if your fellow writers disparage you).
4. Don't expect to become rich or famous.
5. Don't 'borrow' from other writers. Of course, no writer can honestly claim they've never been influenced by others, but do your best to make your work your own, and not just a pale imitation of Dracula or Wuthering Heights. By all means write about vampires but be inventive. I don't, personally, like the Twilight books (or TV series) but the author certainly came up with a great, commercial idea and (importantly) delivered on it.
6. When you've reached the end of your project, you've self-reviewed, edited, crossed all the i's and dotted all the t's, DON'T PUBLISH IT! Put it away for a few weeks or (better) months, then re-read it again. Re-check your spolling and grimmer (DON'T rely on a spell-checker!) Try reading it aloud. Try getting somebody else to read it aloud while you listen to how it sounds (regardless of whether it's a short story, novel, TV play, radio script or whatever). You'd be amazed at how much better your work can become.
7. Keep writing. Keep smiling. Keep believing you are worth it - oh, sorry, that's fashion make up, isn't it? Well, you know what I mean.
1. Read. Doesn't matter what, just read. Back of a cereal packet, cartoons in newspapers, Shades of Grey, War and Peace, whatever. Reading is one of the best ways to learn. Even when we're not paying especial attention to what it is we're looking at, we are still absorbing things subconsciously: sentence structures, word choices, alternative grammar, transatlantic spelling. Advertisements, for example, are a great source for learning how to encapsulate messages concisely using misdirection, humour and lying.
2. Join a writer's group and LISTEN to what's said. Now, not all such groups will suit all writers, so you may need to try out one or two before you find the one that's right for you, but persevere because the rewards are well worth it.
With such a group you will likely need to grow a thick skin. You will need to be able to critique the work of others, which is a thing I still find incredibly hard to do. I'm always worried I might upset or offend somebody by saying "Nope, you didn't get that right". Try not to be like a certain Strictly Come Dancing judge, and avoid being cruel!
But third-party, constructive criticism is, in my opinion, the absolute best way any writer can improve. If you wrote something and everybody said "Yep, that's great", what would be the result? You'd probably just keep re-writing the same thing over and over again, which means your talent might never grow and, when your work is eventually placed in front of a larger audience, you might well end up feeling a right idiot when it turns out that the wider public thinks your writing is rubbish.. Far better to receive "Yes, that's good, but, have you considered..." because then you have something to build on in your next project.
3. When no literary agency or publishing house is prepared to give you the time of day, but you (and your peers, hopefully) are convinced your work is up to the mark, do it yourself. Be brave and go down the self-publishing route (though be careful of vanity publishing, unless you've got loads of money to burn, aren't at all bothered about who actually reads your work, and don't care if your fellow writers disparage you).
4. Don't expect to become rich or famous.
5. Don't 'borrow' from other writers. Of course, no writer can honestly claim they've never been influenced by others, but do your best to make your work your own, and not just a pale imitation of Dracula or Wuthering Heights. By all means write about vampires but be inventive. I don't, personally, like the Twilight books (or TV series) but the author certainly came up with a great, commercial idea and (importantly) delivered on it.
6. When you've reached the end of your project, you've self-reviewed, edited, crossed all the i's and dotted all the t's, DON'T PUBLISH IT! Put it away for a few weeks or (better) months, then re-read it again. Re-check your spolling and grimmer (DON'T rely on a spell-checker!) Try reading it aloud. Try getting somebody else to read it aloud while you listen to how it sounds (regardless of whether it's a short story, novel, TV play, radio script or whatever). You'd be amazed at how much better your work can become.
7. Keep writing. Keep smiling. Keep believing you are worth it - oh, sorry, that's fashion make up, isn't it? Well, you know what I mean.
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