Friday, July 16, 2010

Advice for Aspiring Authors

Apparently my archived blog on this subject got overloaded with posts, and has been unable to accept more - so it looked like I was ignoring y'all when I really was posting your questions and trying to respond. Soooo, I'm redoing this entry. If you posted and didn't see your question, please retry.

Here ya go:





4. How do I get inspired to write? Again, it's my job. I have contracts and bills to pay. It's what I do for a living. Yes, I love creating worlds and telling stories. I believe people are happiest doing what they're passionate about - and I'm passionate about storytelling. That doesn't mean it comes easily. I've found inspiration is part research, part imagination, and part good old fashioned work. If you're continually coming to a dead end in your work, perhaps you need to tell a different story. Or perhaps writing isn't for you. I wanted to be a veterinarian, but when I got serious about the career I realized I really didn't like dealing with parasites and poop, so even though being a vet seemed like a good idea, it really wasn't the right job for me.

5. Should you ask me (or any other published author) to read your work in progress, idea, summary, essay, poetry, etc.? NO. Okay – here’s the truth: another author can NOT get you published. Agents and editors can. Focus on them. Oh, and regarding allowing tons of people to read your work as you write – my advice is DO NOT. If you need feedback get into a writers’ group, or a creative writing class, both of which you can find by searching the internet. Honestly, if you're so insecure about your writing that you have to be told by others whether you're good enough to write you probably need to look at another career. Professional authors are tough and tenacious. If you manage to get published you need to have a firm backbone and thick skin because it's like putting your child out there for everyone to take potshots at - and, yes, they will blow holes in your baby. So if you don't believe in yourself before you're even published I'd run screaming from attempting writing as a profession.



8. How do you start writing? JUST WRITE. Sometimes doing an outline helps. Sometimes drawing a chart helps. Sooner or later it all comes down to the writing. There is no magic pill that makes it suddenly happen. Read a lot. Write a lot. That’s all you can do. And is any age too young to start writing? Hell no! I wrote my first book in first grade. It's not about age; it's about talent and drive and tenacity. Teenagers: yes, you can begin trying to get your work published! BUT do your homework first. Know about manuscript format and how a book gets published (by a real publisher, which means you don't pay for it - they pay you). Understand an agent's role in the process. Hone your skills. Then go for it!



As an additional note - some of you have asked about self-publishing. My advice is if you want to write as a hobby, then it's just fine. If you want to making writing your career, then don't self-publish (actually self-print is a better word). Yes, I know there are exceptions, and some self-pubbed authors have gone on to have successful careers with real publishers, but those few are the exception. Real publishers pay their authors, not the other way around. If you want to be a career writer, you need a real publisher. Period.


I wish you much luck in your quest!


Sunday, July 04, 2010

Happy 4th of July!

I'm in the Caribbean working hard on AWAKENED and Seoras and some friends surprised me with a Scottish/Irish/Lithuanian 4th of July celebration! It wasn't exactly "safe," but it was fun!

Hope you had a happy 4th!

p.s. No, it's not cold here, but it's been raining for a week and the mosquitoes are awful! That's why the weird clothing.