The book you like most discussion
What is your best advice for an aspiring author?
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Lisa
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Dec 10, 2024 06:22AM
I was told by a famous children's author "Butt in chair." Also, get advice from a local published author if possible, many good beta readers, and learn to take constructive criticism with a grain of salt. I'm not published yet, but I have friends who are authors. Hope that helps...
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Also, getting a degree in writing or library science can open many doors to getting published. College is not for everyone, though.
I would say give enough detail but don’t go beyond the point to much. I like the detail for my imagination but not to much that it bores me.
Get the first draft done, leave it for a while, have another go at it, leave it again, when you are happy with it, start getting a few more people’s perspectives.Oh, and read On Writing by Stephen King.
Join a writing group. Find like minded aspiring authors either locally or online. Write every day, even if only for ten minutes. And when you have a surge of inspiration get it on paper asap.
I'd say "write what you know" and also agree with TKZ about joining a writing group. I think too (especially on Goodreads) it behooves an author to actively interact with people and to make friends here. Best to you, James!
"Death is but another journey" I paraphrased it but it was from one of JK Rowlings Harry Porter series
A Few Other Tips:
1. Find Your voice: make sure u know "why am I writing" and "what is the message I am trying to put out to my audience
2. Most writers know their ends before their beginnings, so if you're one of them, don't be afraid to start from the end. As u add on, u can ask yourself "How did B do this because A did that" ( kind of like cause and effect)
3. Write Daily: If u are not writing you're a book or adding on, revise. Everyone should be doing something to your writing!!
4. Have a routine: If you don't already have one, make sure to have a plan for when you're going to write. Whether it be the morning, evening, or night
5. Have a Place to Write: Set up a desk, an office, go to the library, even your bed!! Just Make sure u have a nice comfortable, and quiet place to work on your writing!
6. Expand your Vocab: Ok. This one may seem weird but trust me, IT HELPS SO MUCH. When u get a "Word of the Day Calender", or a vocab dictionary, and as u use the vocab in your daily life, it's going to end up in your writing. so instead on " he was sad" it will end up being "Beneath the weight of his profound sorrow, each breath he took seemed to shudder with the overwhelming burden of unspoken despair, his once bright eyes now glistening with the reflection of countless unshed tears, as if his very soul was shackled by an inescapable, heart-wrenching grief." (hope that makes sense!)
7. Get Feedback: Once you're comfortable, get feedback from a trusted reliable source, who will tell the truth. (you can always count on me😊!)
8. Set Goals: Set dates you need to be done with things, and set little rewards for once you complete the task!!
9. Read Your Writings Outloud: This is a way to revise your writing. Make sure to read it exactly how it is, so you can catch little errors
10. When you're not writing, watch writing vlogs in your free time.These will help you feel and be motivated to get writing. You can also go to your local library. When you around productive people, they will motivate you to feel productive!!
11. Join My Group!!: There are a lot of writers in my group, so they will have a lot more tips for you!! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
1. Find Your voice: make sure u know "why am I writing" and "what is the message I am trying to put out to my audience
2. Most writers know their ends before their beginnings, so if you're one of them, don't be afraid to start from the end. As u add on, u can ask yourself "How did B do this because A did that" ( kind of like cause and effect)
3. Write Daily: If u are not writing you're a book or adding on, revise. Everyone should be doing something to your writing!!
4. Have a routine: If you don't already have one, make sure to have a plan for when you're going to write. Whether it be the morning, evening, or night
5. Have a Place to Write: Set up a desk, an office, go to the library, even your bed!! Just Make sure u have a nice comfortable, and quiet place to work on your writing!
6. Expand your Vocab: Ok. This one may seem weird but trust me, IT HELPS SO MUCH. When u get a "Word of the Day Calender", or a vocab dictionary, and as u use the vocab in your daily life, it's going to end up in your writing. so instead on " he was sad" it will end up being "Beneath the weight of his profound sorrow, each breath he took seemed to shudder with the overwhelming burden of unspoken despair, his once bright eyes now glistening with the reflection of countless unshed tears, as if his very soul was shackled by an inescapable, heart-wrenching grief." (hope that makes sense!)
7. Get Feedback: Once you're comfortable, get feedback from a trusted reliable source, who will tell the truth. (you can always count on me😊!)
8. Set Goals: Set dates you need to be done with things, and set little rewards for once you complete the task!!
9. Read Your Writings Outloud: This is a way to revise your writing. Make sure to read it exactly how it is, so you can catch little errors
10. When you're not writing, watch writing vlogs in your free time.These will help you feel and be motivated to get writing. You can also go to your local library. When you around productive people, they will motivate you to feel productive!!
11. Join My Group!!: There are a lot of writers in my group, so they will have a lot more tips for you!! https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Make sure you open your story with something that grabs the reader and pulls them right in. Keep it going so they do not want to stop reading. Throw in some twist and turns to throws readers off guard.
plan. just plan. plan out your books. always do it, write characters and add to them. major plot points all of it. ALSO, do research!!! if theres a specific top ur doing research!!! AND make sure there are no major holes that will confuse the small minded, like myself.
start your author platforms early!! Don’t be afraid to talk about your book!
And most importantly, have fun with it!
It's a long and perilous journey... choose to write about something that is truly important to you, and something that you NEED to write, regardless of whether or not people buy it, read it, like it...I published my first memoir this year and it's been a hellofaride!
Happy to DM further about the process! :)
Read. Live. Listen and watch others. The best writers are observers. Also helps to have a home somewhere you can take long walks between spells of writing.
The advice I would give is to write from the heart ❤️
All the advice given so far is spot on! Of all the advice I have received and found to be most valuable is that you have to be disciplined, consistent and persistent in writing. Writing a book takes time (like Rome was not built in a day), and involves constant rewriting. It is kind of like sculpting only with words. You slowly whittle it down and refine it until you arrive at a point that you are satisfied. And persistence is needed since the literary world can be quite tough to break into. So don't be discouraged by harsh criticism. The best steel passes through the fire!
Kiran wrote: "All the advice given so far is spot on! Of all the advice I have received and found to be most valuable is that you have to be disciplined, consistent and persistent in writing. Writing a book take..."Spot on!
