writers

Getting Past the Big Lie

/ J.R. Roper / Leave a comment

With any profession or hobby there are people who are naturals. They can downhill ski on their first try (not me, almost died). They can bake a perfect cake at a young age (that was one and one half cups of water not eleven and one half). They can catch any shaped ball effortlessly and the list continues.

The Big Lie I’m referring to is personal in terms of writing, but common to many fields. It is simply that the only people who can write books are those who are born with the gift. Essentially that it can’t be taught. I realized when I sat down to write my first novel that I had no clue how to begin the story, write dialogue, plot the story, or create characters. But I did it anyway.

While I wrote, I read books aimed at the same age group, listened to books on my way to work, and read books on the craft of writing. Then, about a hundred pages in, I realized something. The beginning was horrible (I rewrote it completely), my grammar was horrible (still learning), and my characters were finally speaking to me. I was learning to a degree that Amanda couldn’t believe. She had read my first college papers and they weren’t pretty.

The more I write, the more I learn about writing. Practice can get you to the level of the naturals, and in the end you will feel greater accomplishment. Don’t waste years of your life thinking that you aren’t good enough. Just dive in and learn from your mistakes.

So you want to write a book?

/ J.R. Roper / Leave a comment

Have you ever read  a book and said, I could’ve written that. We all have. But writing a book is a complex and long process. In a perfect world experienced by someone with a job and maybe kids: If it takes a year to write, another year to edit and find an agent, another six months for that agent to get a publishing contract, and another eighteen months to get the book on the shelf, you are looking at a four year process. And that is being super optimistic. Most people write for more than ten years and get their fifth or sixth novel published. Writing is not for the faint of heart. Here are ten things to keep in mind if you’ve ever considered writing a book and want to have it published (if you just want to write for yourself and your family, some of this isn’t applicable):

  1. If anyone or anything can convince you not to do it, then don’t waste your time.
  2. Write about what you are passionate about. Your readers will see your passion on the page. No passion equals boring.
  3. Plot is important (I hate getting to the end of a book and saying WHAT!), but a strong protagonist is what will keep people reading.
  4. The muses come and go, so set a schedule and goals to keep yourself motivated. One hour a night, or one page a night, or 500 words a night, whatever! Think this way, one page a night means a first draft in a year. Whatever you prefer set a schedule and stick to it. Otherwise it will probably never get finished, and that is a sad thought.
  5. Know your characters inside and out. Know who they are and you will know how they react when so-and-so dies… Realistic characters with unique voices are the key to good stories that keep people reading.
  6. Your book is not done until it is published! It is difficult to rework the baby that you just spent a year writing, but necessary if you want to see it in print. By your fifth draft you might be ready to send it to publishers or agents.
  7. See where it will fit on the bookshelf at (insert bookstore). If it would be considered its own category, rethink it to make it fit somewhere. Publishers want sales and they can only sell what fits on the shelf at the big stores.
  8. Be prepared to do 90-95 percent of your own marketing. When you are a bestseller, you might get some help from the publisher…maybe.
  9. Be ready for more rejection than you have ever experienced. The big publishers only accept work that is represented by an agent. Agents all have their own preferences and most represent 10-50 authors. Getting their ear is difficult, but the first step in the process. You need thick skin, a good sales pitch, and a solid support group.
  10. Find or start a writers group. Writers are everywhere and the serious ones know that they need constructive feedback to improve their work. These groups not only help with improving your writing, they also provide needed support and networking.

What was that? You still want to write? Then start with your characters and structure a story. Or just start writing (some people can do it this way, I need an outline). Good luck and let your passion fill the blank pages.