What I Learned about Writing Advice by Heather Weidner

 When I decided that I wanted to write a novel, I bought every book on writing that I could get my hands on. I had quite the collection, and the advice varied greatly. I spent months reading and researching the perfect technique. Then one day, I had an ah-ha moment. I was doing a lot of reading and research, but I wasn’t writing. I spent all my free time trying to find out the best way to write without developing my own skills. So, I went through all my shelves and weeded through my collection. I kept a few that spoke to me, and the rest went to the Friends of the Library.

Try new things. Learn the techniques and conventions of your genre. If they don’t improve your writing process, ditch them and try something else. You have to find what works with your style and your life. When I was reading all the advice books, I was bombarded with outline, don’t outline, write every day, write when you feel like it, make a schedule, set a word count, don’t pressure yourself with daily word counts, use this style, and don’t use that style. It made my head spin.

This is what worked for me. Again, if it doesn’t work for you, try another technique. Everyone is different and has his/her own preferences.

Writing is a business, and I needed to treat my work that way. It took me five years to finish my first novel and another two to get it published. I had to be more productive, and I needed a schedule. I knew that if I wanted to be serious about my writing and to have a series, then I definitely needed to speed up my process. I outline each book now. I also set daily word count goals when I’m working on the first draft. If I stick with my plan, I can usually finish a complete first draft in 2-3 months. I also don’t edit as I write. I finish the first draft and then move to the editing stage.

Your first draft is not your final draft. It takes a lot of rework and reviews to get it to a publishable state. There are very few writers who can create an almost-perfect manuscript on the first try.

I can’t state it enough. Writing is a business. Authors are required to maintain social media presences, host events, and promote their books. You need to make sure that one part of the writing life (e.g., writing, researching, revising, marketing, promoting) doesn’t take over and dominate all of your time. It’s a balance.

Remember, your job is to write your next book.

What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Through the years, Heather Weidner has been a cop’s kid, technical writer, editor, college professor, software tester, and IT manager. She writes the Pearly Girls Mysteries, the Delanie Fitzgerald Mysteries, The Jules Keene Glamping Mysteries, and The Mermaid Bay Christmas Shoppe Mysteries.

Her short stories appear in the Virginia is for Mysteries series, 50 Shades of Cabernet, Deadly Southern Charm, and Murder by the Glass, and she has non-fiction pieces in Promophobia and The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers’ Cookbook.

Originally from Virginia Beach, Heather has been a mystery fan since Scooby-Doo and Nancy Drew. She lives in Central Virginia with her husband and a pair of Jack Russell terriers. 

 

Books on Writing, by Kait Carson

Back in the day, I attended a college that was known for underwater basket weaving and advertising that both semesters were spring.  I’m sure it was a fine school, I earned three undergraduate degrees. Somehow, I managed not to get a degree in English, despite taking classes from Shakespeare to the Existentialists. In those years the English department was geared toward turning out academics, not authors. As a result, only two creative writing classes were offered. One in French. I took them both.

The lack of academic credentials didn’t matter. I’d been published since high school. Had an agent find me, and I’d long ago decided if I couldn’t be a trauma surgeon. I’d be a writer. When married, my world view changed. Writing is many things, but a steady income is not among them. Not if you are a creative writer. The country was in a recession, inflation rampant. Two newly minted college graduates needed the financial security of reliable paychecks. Then my agent passed away. The only writing I saw after that was on the wall, and it wasn’t encouraging.

Fast forward a few dozen years – well, not quite, but you get the picture. The literary world had changed, agents were no longer looking for writers, it was the other way around, and the only way to get an agent was to write the book(s). Long ago success had little impact, what have you done lately? All of my past sales were short stories, agents weren’t interested. When I sat down to write a novel, I discovered short story skills did not translate. The concept was the same, beginning, middle, and ending, but fleshing out those bones was very different. I was lost.

Fortunately, there were books on writing. Many books on writing. Some good, some not so good, some written by people who were hoping to find their own way by writing a book on how to write a book. I devoured most of them.  A few did leave dents in my walls. Over time, I managed to absorb enough to become a semi-competent writer. Competent enough to pick and choose from the avalanche of information presented, and ultimately competent enough to buy writing books for enjoyment.

Some of my favorites are On Writing, by Stephen King, Write Away, by Elizabeth George, Plotting the Character Driven Novel, by Linda Rodriguez, Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel, by Hallie Ephron (both editions). You get the picture. My favorite writing books are books on writing by my favorite authors. Every time I sit down with one, I learn something new or am reminded of something I need to know.

A few months ago, I added a new writer’s book to my collection. I bought it as a Kindle book at first, but I wasn’t half-way through before I knew I needed this book in paper for ready reference. The book, Seven Steps on the Writer’s Path, by Nancy Pickard and Lynn Lott. It’s not so much about how to write as it is about the writing life. If you ever wanted to know how to birth to a novel, this book tells you all about it in humorous detail. It also helps guide you from one step to the next. What surprised me was how universal the writing process is. Seriously, I’d always felt rather alone on parts of the journey. I was thrilled to meet fellow travelers.

The Seven Steps? The Trailhead, Unhappiness, Wanting, Commitment, Wavering (hello, I’m there right now), Letting Go, Immersion, and finally, Fulfillment. I won’t attempt a synopsis of each step here, you’ll need to check out the book for that, but I can guarantee if you are a writer, you’ll find yourself on familiar ground with a few “Ah Ha” moments mixed in.

Reading this book gave me amazing comfort. Now, when I’m frustrated, or blocked, I figure out where I am on the path and know that this too shall pass. Until the next time.

Readers and writers, have you encountered a book that made the bits and pieces of your life fall into place? What was it?