Writing Tip of the Day

If you approach writing with a teachable attitude, you can learn from many sources. No matter how many things you have written, you are never so good that you can not learn something new. Every new thing which you learn will lead you on to a new thing which you can write about. This is a never ending circle in life, for the more you learn, the more you will find that you do not yet know and therefor the more you will seek to know. The more you seek to learn, the greater things you will have to write about. Seek and ye shall find, ask and it shall be given, knock and the door shall open. Write and the more you will find to write about. Let this be a lesson to you.

~~EK

Here is an interesting thought. How many would actually want to read their own novel? You have written it out, pouring your very heart and soul into it; with your every fiber you have brought it to light, but would you read it? When you go out and buy a book to read, what kind of book is it? Do you read the same type of books as the one you wrote?

Posted by EelKat on Monday, March 26, 2007 at 11:58 am

Never resist editing. Your writing isn't etched in stone and can always be improved for the reader. Some of you are now throwing stones, and type hate emails for me. I know, I hate editing just as much as any other writer, but fact is, it must be done, so you might as well drop that stone and get editing. Think about it this way: If your writing is as perfect as you think it is already, than editing well only make it that much better, right?

Why do you resist writing? Fear? Fear of what? Maybe you ought to write a story about a writer with a phobia of editing. Point out how crazy his phobia is and how it disrupts his writing career. This'll do wonders for changing the way you edit your stories.

If you really have a problem with editing, there are people whose job it is to edit your work they are known as: editors. Editors are not a thing to fear. Editors are people who love books just as much as you do, and they want to see a great piece of fiction get printed. So wither you do your own editing or you get an editor to do it for you, never resist the art of editing. Your readers well be glad you did.

Posted by EelKat on Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Writing Tip of the Day: March 29, 2007: Critics

When you receive critical advice or feedback about your writing, learn to evaluate it then follow your instincts.

Get feedback, any and all feedback, about your story. Feedback is important, it well tell you more about yourself and your writing style than you really want to know, but it's a lesson worth learning.

Listen to those who praise your work, but listen with an open mind. Think about this: ask yourself who is giving the good feedback and what's in it for them?

Is your family? Your best friends? Do they really know good writing when they read it, or are they just glowing with pride because they know you? Feedback from your friends and family is rarely worth listening too, because unless your mom is an editor from Harlequin or Doubleday, chances are good that she is just fanning your vanity. Harsh? Yes, but true.

What about the bad feedback you are getting from friends and family, should you believe it? No. Chances are good that they are jealous and spiteful, and want to put you down and make you feel bad, and really have nothing good to say about anything in your life anyways.

So what does that all mean? Well, what it means is, never have someone who knows you personally give you feedback on your stories, cause it well not be objective. Yes, get their feedback, but no, don't rely on it to determine if yours is the next best seller.

You want feedback from editors, agents, book reviewers, talk show hosts, and newspaper critics. They get paid to give writers feedback. Impossible? No. All it takes is submitting your manuscript to as many places as you can think of. Here's one to get you started: Harlequin Romance Novel Critique Service, finding others is as easy as saying Google.

So, where has all this taking us?

• #1 get feedback from everyone: family, friends, online groups, & professionals

  
  
  

• #2 consider who is giving the feedback and what their motive is

• #3 do you see a pattern in feedback given, regardless of who gave it? if you get the same feedback over and over again from everyone, than they may be right and you might want to look at that point harder

• #4 when all is said and done, it's your work, your story, your characters, your book, not theirs… you only need to change what you think really needs changing

Think about every feedback you get from every possible angle and than act accordingly, based on what YOU feel is best for YOU and YOUR book. I know what my characters are doing and why, and where that well lead them you tell me to change them and you'll get a roaring lion on your hands, but you want to tell me about my grammar/style/spelling mistakes, (and I do make them, I admit it) I'll take note and try to improve with willing ears.

I get most of my attacks, not on my style, but on one of my reoccurring characters who is a drag queen, and those attacks come not from my readers, but from close friends and family who think I am ruining their good name ??? whatever, everyone has a bone to chew, and you can be sure that the more famous you get the more hate mail you'll get too, it comes with the job to all you writers out there: good luck on your story, and be sure you got a hard shell we writers need it if we want to stay in the game.

~~EK

This article Copyright 2007 Wendy C Allen

All of the pictures and photos shown throughout this lens are actual photos on The Private Writing Retreat of Maine author Wendy C. Allen. All photos were taken by and are copyright to