Ashton
asked
Sarah Sundin:
I just finished two of your books this weekend and loved them so much! I was wondering if you might have any words of wisdom for an aspiring writer? I've been writing short stories and such for a frew years and I'm trying to work through a rough draft of a novel length story. I hope to get a book published somewhere on down the road, although that might have to wait until after I finish school. Thank you in advance!
Sarah Sundin
Hi Ashton!
Thank you for contacting me. I'm so glad you're enjoying my novels.
Congratulations on starting down this crazy writing path. My advice to you is to write, learn, and gain experiences.
First - write! And keep writing. And write some more. Finish that novel. Start another. Write more short stories. The more you write, the sooner you'll find your voice and become truly comfortable putting words on paper/screen.
Second - learn! This is two-fold. Learning the craft of fiction writing and learning about the writing business. For craft, I recommend three books to start: The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler (for story structure/plotting), Getting into Character by Brandilyn Collins (the best book I've read on character development), and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. Attending writers' conferences and joining writers' groups (on-line or in-person) are very valuable.
The business of writing involves everything from how to query an agent, which agents to query, which publishers to target, how to build your online platform, and how to find your readers. This is a daunting task for most authors and takes time. There are many wonderful resources on-line, and I'd strongly recommend following agent blogs.
Third - gain experiences! Use your time in school to broaden your horizons. Take lots of non-writing/English classes. Learn psychology and history and chemistry (disclaimer: I majored in chem). Do interesting and new extra-curricular activities, visit new places, chat with people outside your usual circle. All these things build who you are as a person. Those experiences often prompt story ideas or character ideas. And in the process, you gain understanding into humanity, which is what elevates fiction from just a "fun read" to something deep that will impact readers' lives.
And enjoy your time in school - those are wonderful years!
Thank you for contacting me. I'm so glad you're enjoying my novels.
Congratulations on starting down this crazy writing path. My advice to you is to write, learn, and gain experiences.
First - write! And keep writing. And write some more. Finish that novel. Start another. Write more short stories. The more you write, the sooner you'll find your voice and become truly comfortable putting words on paper/screen.
Second - learn! This is two-fold. Learning the craft of fiction writing and learning about the writing business. For craft, I recommend three books to start: The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler (for story structure/plotting), Getting into Character by Brandilyn Collins (the best book I've read on character development), and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. Attending writers' conferences and joining writers' groups (on-line or in-person) are very valuable.
The business of writing involves everything from how to query an agent, which agents to query, which publishers to target, how to build your online platform, and how to find your readers. This is a daunting task for most authors and takes time. There are many wonderful resources on-line, and I'd strongly recommend following agent blogs.
Third - gain experiences! Use your time in school to broaden your horizons. Take lots of non-writing/English classes. Learn psychology and history and chemistry (disclaimer: I majored in chem). Do interesting and new extra-curricular activities, visit new places, chat with people outside your usual circle. All these things build who you are as a person. Those experiences often prompt story ideas or character ideas. And in the process, you gain understanding into humanity, which is what elevates fiction from just a "fun read" to something deep that will impact readers' lives.
And enjoy your time in school - those are wonderful years!
More Answered Questions
Marie
asked
Sarah Sundin:
Hi, Ms Sarah! First of all, let me tell you I really love your books and adore extensive Pinterest boards you prepare for all of us readers. I really like the trilogies formula you chose for your older series, but I noticed that two newest books are standalones. Do you plan to get back to three books series or the standalones are the format you prefer to write now? All the best to you!
Peyton
asked
Sarah Sundin:
Hi Sarah! I just finished your Wings of Glory series; I was super curious if you ended up liking one brother more than the rest or if you love them all equally! You said that Jack and Ruth's banter came very naturally, but did all of them flow so easily? They all have such different personalities!
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