In Short:
To sum it up in case you don’t feel like reading through all of this the secret boils down to one thing: find what works for you. It’s that simple. Which isn’t simple at all because it will likely take a lot of trial and error. I’ve been at it for over a year now and I’m still learning what the best practices are for me. So have patience and keep trying different things until you find a combo that works. Now, on with the show!
In the Beginning:
When I first decided to really make a go at being a writer I spent a whole lot of time doing research on how other writers did their thing. I was looking for a secret or a trick. I wanted to believe there was such a thing. I was pretty disappointed when most authors who shared their processes all said the same thing: there is no trick. No secret. Once I realized that I decided to instead concentrate on the specifics of other writers’ methods and try them out for myself.
Where to Write:
I’d seen plenty of people typing away in coffee shops, restaurants, etc., so I tried those out. They were usually too noisy. I could maybe get ten good minutes of writing before something broke my concentration, and this was while listening to my own music through my ear buds. I tried a library; the seats sucked and people were surprisingly talkative in the quiet section. So the library was a bust. I tried to think of other places I could go but each one was either too public and noisy or didn’t have anywhere to really sit down and type. In the end I wrote my first book sitting on my bed in the tiny room I was renting. It wasn’t ideal because all of my video games, books, and such were right there ready to distract me from my task. I could also only stand sitting on my bed for about a half hour before my legs and butt started going numb. I managed though.
I’ve come to realize that I can write almost anywhere, but my concentration and writing quality will suffer in places with too much noise or distraction. I’ve done writing on planes, in the hospital, at the mechanic, you name it. The real trick when it comes to figuring out where to write is finding a place that is comfortable enough to sit for thirty to sixty minutes and also be able to concentrate for that long. So not really a trick at all. Disappointing I know but still the truth.
How to Write:
This is a biggie and probably more complicated than finding the right spot. The trick to becoming a writer, and this is based on my experience and opinion, is to stick with it long enough to learn how you write best. You can do all of the research, read about every author under the sun and how they do their thing and none of it will help you unless you try all of those methods out. You can buy fancy programs that help you storyboard your ideas, organize your characters, build family trees, and come up with more background than you can shake a stick at. That still won’t get your book or story done. And that’s really the secret. Much like Po learned in Kung Fu Panda, there is no secret ingredient. There’s just you. The writer. You have to sit down and face that blank page or empty document. I was terrified when I realized this. No one could help me write the story in my head. I had all the responsibility for putting my thoughts and ideas down in words. Super scary. Still, there is hope.
There’s another side to this coin, just like there’s two sides to every story. (At least two sides anyway.) So sure, the buck stops with you and nothing will happen unless you do something about it. The flip side is, there’s no wrong way to do it! Probably the most glorious thing about being a writer is the freedom. Good, bad, or ugly, who cares?! You can write whatever you want, however you want to write it. Have some crazy idea to write an erotic thriller about space unicorns who have come to harvest our ear wax? Go for it! (Actually, that sounds pretty hilarious. I might have to play with that one… Ahem, yes well you get the idea.)
When I was a kid I spent hours drawing pictures with my friends and my sister. We would draw whatever came to mind and tell a story about the picture at the same time. We lived in our imagination. Before I started writing I really thought that my creativity was gone. Nothing more than a childhood memory. I was wrong though. I wasn’t gone, it was just rusty and stiff from disuse. I’d let life and adult responsibility crush my imagination for so long that it was a great effort to let it free. It’s still not as easy as I’d like it to be but every time I sit down and write it gets a little easier. So keep at it. Don’t worry about how good your writing is. It will get better and easier the more you practice. Patience and persistence pays off in spades in this line of work.
Keep on Learning (and Reading):
My only other bit of advice is to keep learning about writing and publishing. Self-publishing is definitely a great route to go if getting the attention of traditional publishers is too intimidating or fruitless. A lot of big-name authors are actually going that route because of the full creative freedom and much, much better royalties. Dean Wesley Smith has a metric butt-ton of info on self-publishing and I highly recommend checking his site out (www.deanwesleysmith.com). Also read. Read whatever you want to. Re-read books you loved and see how the experience is from the perspective of a writer. I’m re-reading the entire Anite Blake series by Laurell K. Hamilton and I’m noticing a whole lot about her writing style. Not to mention the formatting choices for the book itself. I think it’s important to immerse yourself in books and the writing culture as much as you can. At least as much as your favorite hobby. Writing takes serious effort but it is also seriously rewarding. Anyway, those are just a few of my thoughts on it. Good night and good luck!
National Novel Writing Month is just around the corner! Sign up now and get inspired to write: www.nanowrimo.org