Thursday, March 21, 2013

Thursday Review—Writing Advice You Should ALWAYS Follow


Several weeks ago I wrote a tongue-in-cheek post about Writing Advice You Should NEVER Follow. Today I want to share writing advice you should always follow. Now, like ninety-nine percent of publishing rules, take these with a grain of salt. Writing is rarely a one-size-fits-all proposition.


1. Keep a regular schedule. Notice a said REGULAR schedule, not normal (and I didn’t say write every day). Your schedule may be writing on the bus everyday to work, or from midnight to 2 a.m. or even only on the weekend. Whatever works best for you, stick with it. Small bites are the best way to devour a huge task.

2. Don’t stop learning. Even if this weren’t an industry that’s ever changing, you’d still need to keep honing your skills. I don’t care who you are, or how long you’ve been writing, you never arrive.

3. Plug into a supportive team. You’ve often heard that writing is a solitary pursuit. Yes…and no. The act of putting words on paper is rarely a team sport. But producing publishable work is not. It takes a good support system to help you cover all the bases.

4. Build your platform BEFORE you get published. Yep, you read that right. So many writers put off building their social media networks until they sign with an agent or a publisher. I’m telling you that’s too late. Start building now and you’ll find yourself more attractive to editors and agents.

5. Don’t let the voices in your head derail your progress. As a whole, we writers are an insecure bunch. And most of our insecurity starts in our minds. We convince ourselves to fail before we even get started good. Who am I fooling, I can’t write. That editor/agent didn’t mean it when he said to send him a proposal. I don’t know why I bother, none of this is any good. Any of these sound familiar?

6. Learn the rules so you know how to break them effectively. Part of developing as a writer is knowing when to break the rules. It’s hard to do if you don’t know them to begin with. For example, you’ll hear the advice to get rid of repeated words. In most cases that’ good advice, but there are instances when you’ll want to repeat a word for emphasis.

7. Don’t EVER talk bad about anyone in the industry. Publishing is a small family, and people move around a lot. An agent at this company today, may be at a different company next year. The person sitting next to you at a conference, could be your editor. You get the idea.

8. Take critique, but don’t let it silence your voice. It’s important to develop a tough skin in this business. That means learning from tough critiques. BUT and this is vital, remember that a critique is just someone’s opinion. If you incorporate every critique into your WIP you’ll lose that distinctive thing called voice. This means sometimes throwing out advice from people you trust, and breaking some rules.

9. Write what you love. It's tempting to try to follow what's popular, but it rarely works out well. Life's short, spend it doing something you love.

10. Don’t quit. I’ve been around this business a long time. I’ve learned that while talent is good, perseverance will get you a whole lot farther. You’re going to have bad days, bad weeks, even bad months, but that’s still no reason to quit.

I’ve given you my best advice. Now I’d like to hear from you. What is the best writing advice you’ve ever gotten?

Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

22 comments:

  1. Great post, Edie! A writer can go far following your counsel here. One of the best bits of advice I ever received (and followed) was to attend a writers conference. The associations and friendships I made there will continue to impact my life until I make my last penstroke--and hopefully long after.

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    1. Great advice, Robin! I would also suggest finding a smaller conference to attend first, so you can see how these type of events work and become more comfortable in the setting.

      I did this and it worked out very nicely! :)

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    2. Robin, absolutely! I met my writing partner, Vonda Skelton the first year I attended Blue Ridge. It absolutely changed my life.

      Morgan, a small conference can be a really good thing. But I've noticed all conferences have their own personalities. I recommend people get recommendations from previous attendees

      Thank you both for stopping by, Blessings, E

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  2. Vonda....I have never had any formal training in writing. I have been a motivational Christian speaker for 5 years and began writing and submitting articles last year for the first time. I learn so much from articles like this that you write. I am always searching for ways to get better, to stay on the cutting edge, and for my hands to be used for God's glory. Thank you for sharing. Articles like this always help! Thank You Vonda!
    Tammy Whitehurst

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    1. Tammy, I owe everyone an apology. I've been moderating the comments on my phone and accidentally deleted Vonda's comment!thanks so much for dropping by, Blessings, Edie

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  3. The best writing advice I've been given wasn't writing advice at all. It was this: Be who God made you to be.
    It's not about me, or my feelings, or my schedule, or anything else that has to do with me. It's about God, how He made me, and the best way I know to honor Him.
    I apologize if that sounds too forceful, but well, I know only too well my failings and frailties. If I do not keep this idea front and center, and in capital letters with exclamation points, I can easily faint and fail. It is a place where mission and dream coalesce. So good.

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    1. Such great advice - "be who God made you to be." Thanks so much for stopping by, Blessings, E

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  4. Really enjoyed this post, Edie! Great advice!

    Best advice: Take all the ins and outs of the publishing world in stride.

    Focus on one part of it at a time (brand, query, synopsis, proposal, etc.) and work on it, so you're not overwhelmed.

    It is overwhelming. :) I have had to focus on one thing at a time since there are already so many other things that I have to continuously take care of (social media, blog, writing a great book, reading craft and comparable books, etc)--and we're not even talking about work and personal life stuff.

    More important advice: Take a deep breath and always pray for God's guidance.

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    1. Love this, Morgan, "Take all the ins and outs of publishing in stride." It's so easy to get caught up in the highs and lows! Blessings. E

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  5. I would add: Keep track of your meds.
    Sorry, that's the first thing that came to mind.
    No, really ...
    The translation of that is: Keep your head screwed on straight. For me, that means I stay close to God via prayer and the Word in a variety of ways that work for me. I also have my "security net" -- my closest writing buddies that are all on speed dial and "speed IM" that I can contact whenever I am thinking about ledge-sitting -- or jumping.

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    1. Beth, so true. It's an emotional minefield out there! Staying plugged in to God is critical for me, as are friends who will help me stay centered. Blessings, E

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  6. #10 - Don't quit. So many people get discouraged when they don't get instant results. Thanks for this post, Edie.

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    1. Emily, sometimes #10 is the hardest to follow! Thanks so much for dropping by, Blessings, E

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  7. Join a writer's group...both near my home and online. Made a world of difference...

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    1. Jennifer, you're so right! I couldn't do anything without my writers group! Thanks for dropping by, Blessings, E

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  8. I absolutely love this post, but what's new? The best pieces of writing advice I've been given is when I didn't feel like writing, I was told to "write anyway." And the other is when I was having a really hard time defining myself as a writer. I was told, "you're now a writer because Edie Melson said so." I may be biased, but I've went back to those tips time and time again. Love you!

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    1. Jamie, thanks so much for your kind words! Blessings, E

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  9. "I don’t care who you are, or how long you’ve been writing, you never arrive." So so true. When I look back at my first (unpublished) manuscript, I thank God no one saw fit to put it into print. As writers we need to embrace the process. Keep writing, keep reading, keep listening. It really is a life-long journey.

    I've gotten so much good advice over the years, it's hard to pick out just one. My latest favorite: being advised to develop a website for my book with handouts, lesson plans, discussion questions, etc. for groups that want to use my book for a group study. It's made the book so user-friendly, and groups are so happy for the free resources. I'm so thankful for that suggestion.

    When I got my first contract, I was scheduled to attend a writer's conference the next day. I had planned to use my appointments to pitch my manuscript. What was I going to talk about with all those editors since my proposal was sold? After some thought, I sat down at the table with each of them and asked: "What do you wish every new author would know before working with you? Give me your best advice as to how I can be an asset to my publisher rather than a thorn in the flesh." They gave me great advice, words I took to heart. Things like: trust the publisher. They know what they are doing. That came in handy in many a decision.

    I also appreciate what you said about not losing your voice. It's scary at times knowing when to push back. But you can't lose who you are or your message in the process of publishing. You have to pick your battles, but there are battles worth fighting.

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  10. I really needed to hear this today, Edie!

    If I had any advice, it would be along the support group line. I've learned so much from the Dallas chapter of ACFW and the critique groups from it. And then there are the lessons and tips from My Book Therapy. What a goldmine that is!

    Thanks for sharing!

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  11. Julie, "you have to pick your battles, but there are some worth fighting" is the best advice I've heard! Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom! Blessings, E

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  12. This is a "Wow!" post, Edie. As usual, your post is insightful and downright inspiring. The comments are a treasure trove as well.

    I especially resonated with Beth Vogt's comment on staying close to God in prayer. When I'm coming up empty, I sometimes realize it's because I've forgotten my first Love. Without Him leading the way, all is in vain.

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  13. Great advice. I feel like a very small fish in a very well stocked pond.

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