Jan 16, 2023
What is one thing that you wish you’d known about writing before you started?
Let’s specify: I started writing back in 1974-ish. Back then, I wrote poetry. I don’t think that counts for the purpose of this question. Instead, I’ll talk about the last ten years, when I started writing fiction, instead.
I thought I’d done my homework. I’d joined a writer’s group on-line and followed the discussions, even when I had nothing to contribute. It helped me make my decision to publish as an indie author. But it didn’t prepare me for everything that went along with that decision.
Writing to please yourself is one thing. Writing for potential publication is another. It’s a lot more work.
It’s hard enough getting words on paper and finishing a story. Whipping those words into shape for other people to read is a whole different challenge. I don’t think I understood how much work editing is until the first time I tackled it with an aim of publication, and I keep learning more about it every time I get another book ready to release. (And I’m on book eleven!)
It’s not just fixing spelling and grammar errors, it’s making those words sing. That’s the hard part. I won’t go into detail—there have been entire books written on the topic. Two of my pain points are using too many adverbs and overusing the word ‘was.’
If I had known how hard it was, I might have reconsidered my decision to publish my stories. It’s too late for that now. I’m having too much fun. Much to my surprise, I’m even enjoying the editing process for my work-in-progress. Seeing how the changes being made are making the story more suspenseful makes me eager to share it with readers. (The working title is The Rise of Jake Hennessey. The cover is coming soon. It’ll echo the cover of The Fall of Jake Hennessey and that’s as much as I know.)
What do the other authors on this hop wish they has known? You can find out by following the links below.
And, as always, until next time, please stay safe.
Jan 16, 2023
What is one thing that you wish you’d known about writing before you started?
Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
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3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.
Your word was – was – mine was “that” It was a rough time changing that habit. 🙂
Tweeted.
Another bad one for me is ‘it.’
I seem to have at least one overused word per book, according to my editor I used ‘surely’ 132 times in one just recently.
That’s an interesting one.
Mine was ‘smile’ and also the exclamation mark.
I rarely use the exclamation mark. I’m not sure I’ve used it even once in my WIP. I will have to check, 🙂
It truly is a different ballgame, writing for an audience. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
I think it’s several ballgames!
Aha, yes, the actual writing. I spent 5 years after my book was first published struggling to write another word and it was all about FEAR. This resonated with me.
I feel you, Kristina. I understand why some people work on more than one book at a time.