| ************************************************************************************************************************ If you're just starting out as a writer -- as in, you have moved from "Some day I'm going to write a book" to "Hey, I just wrote the first chapter of my first novel...now what?" -- the following advice is a summary of tried-and-true stock tidbits you'll hear in some way, shape or form every time you ask an author what it takes to become one. And if you've been at this for a while...well, you've heard all this before. But you might at least take away an understanding chuckle. Let me begin by stating something you might not be aware of: writing is work. Most successful authors talk about the joy of creation and the high that comes with filling a page with words that work together to create a story (and of course, the royalty checks help the high along). But I want you to know what you're getting into. Yes, the elation writing brings on a good day is incomparable. Addictive. Unbelievably thrilling. However, if you plan on getting serious about writing, there will be days when it's a drag. Depressing. Very nearly painful. Because the first thing you have to do is... Write every day. I'm not talking Monday through Friday here. You have to write every single day. Much like those stubborn arm and leg muscles that atrophy with disuse, your writing mind needs regular exercise. Even when you're sick, or tired, or would much rather be out in the yard lying on the grass and identifying cloud shapes...you must make time every day to plant your butt in a chair and get some words down. It may sound harsh, but it's the only way to improve. Practice makes perfect! (Ah, another tired old cliché. I wonder how many I can fit in this article?) Show, don't tell. This little gem is the extraordinarily abridged version of the Writer's Bible (if such a thing existed). The concept is simple, but once you grasp it your writing will be a hundred times more powerful when you apply it. Here's the gist: when you put your characters down on paper, let the reader see their emotions--don't bash them over the head with static statements that tell them exactly what's going on. An example: Sally pulled into the middle lane and got cut off. She was mad. That's telling. Now, here's how to show: As Sally pulled into the next lane to pass the rusted Chevy truck whose little old driver's curly blue hair barely cleared the back of the seat, a screaming yellow Camaro swerved over from the passing lane, clearing her front bumper by mere inches. Gritting her teeth, she slammed the brake and laid on the horn, then screamed, "Watch where you're going, jerkoff!" for good measure--like the schmuck in the Camaro could really hear her at ninety miles an hour. The simple statement "She was mad" takes on a whole new dimension. Without actually saying it, the reader knows beyond the shadow of a doubt that Sally was mad. Here's another, shorter example: Telling: Jeff grew thoughtful. Showing: Jeff sat down and propped a hand beneath his chin, a distant look in his eyes. It's far more effective to show a character taking action than to simply give a laundry list of thoughts and emotions. Once you master Show, Don't Tell, you're well on your way to writer-dom. Write what you know. This doesn't necessarily mean if you work in a convenience store, your main character should be a retail clerk. It also doesn't mean you have to learn some spells before you try and write a fantasy novel about wizards. By now you may be asking: what does it mean, then? Writing what you know simply means using all of your life experiences and the people you've known and observed to give your stories believability. Most of us don't like our jobs enough to inflict them on our protagonists--though it works for Grisham!--but maybe you have a longtime hobby you could transform into an unusual career. As for the people you know...go ahead, exploit them in your writing without fear. Perhaps you have an aunt with a knack for (wrongly) judging new acquaintances by their choice of footwear. Or maybe you know a guy at the office who comes in late every day with a new weak excuse on a par with "the dog ate my homework." Small personality quirks can pave the way for integral characterization--and if you mix them carefully enough, no one will suspect you've used them for writing fodder. So you think what you know won't make an interesting story? Fortunately for you, there's an addendum to this caveat: write what you know...and research what you don't. An example: if you want to write a story featuring a cop, but you haven't ever so much as set foot in a police station (and if you say you've never even been pulled over, you're either a liar or you don't have a driver's license) you can start by scanning the 'net for information. Then go to the library and get some books -- most of them carry preparation manuals for law enforcement exams that contain great information on police procedures. And perhaps most importantly: get in touch with a cop and ask some questions. You'd be surprised how willing people are to talk to you when you preface your statements with, "I'm writing a book..." Apply these techniques to any profession, culture or lifestyle you want to write about, and not only will your writing be more believable; you'll expand your personal horizons and enrich your own life. Persevere. The most simplistic, most repeated advice writers give is this: never give up. If you decide to seek publication, you will be rejected. Over and over again. Know this going in. Understanding won't make rejection any less painful, but at least you'll be prepared to take your lumps and keep moving ahead. Be assured that you have something to say, and someone out there wants to hear it...you just have to be patient until you find that someone. No matter what else you do, don't quit. You don't want to be the person who says, "I used to write, but..." -- do you? Unpublished writers, take heart. If you strive to improve your craft, if you write every day, if your burning desire to tell your story drives you to the computer at three in the morning to get that idea down before you forget--no matter what the rest of the world says, I say: congratulations. You already are a writer. The world just doesn't know it yet. The Basic Resources Check out these other articles to help you get started on your writing path. How Writing Every Day Keeps You Writing...Every Day! by Dana Mitchells The First Rule of Writing (show, don't tell) by Sandy Tritt Write What You Know by Melanie Spiller Quotes About Writing (words to keep you going when you want to give up) compiled by Michael Powers ************************************************ ******************* Contact the author: author@swvaughn.com Reprint permission: service@swvaughn.com S. W. Vaughn's home page Return to The Hall |
| The Basics Tired old writing cliches you still need to know |