It’s a new year, a new novel, and a time revisit the basics.
As the commercial says, “Just Do it.†Just write.
Read as much and as often as you can. Remember, every writer is a reader first.
Keep a journal or notebook handy to jot down your ideas. If you’ve got a smartphone, download a note-taking app. A voice-recording app also comes in handy for recording notes and ideas.
Make sure you have a dictionary and thesaurus available whenever you are writing. Dictonary.com is also a great resource.
Be observant. People and activities will provide you with great inspiration for characters, plots, and themes.
The Chicago Manual of Style and The Elements of Style are a must for your book shelf.
Grammar: learn the rules and then learn how to break them effectively.
Stop procrastinating.
Read works by highly successful authors to learn what earns a loyal readership.
Join a writers’ group.
Create a space in your home especially for writing (I covered this topic in an earlier blog).
Proofread everything at least three times before submitting your work for publication.
Start a blog. Use it to talk about your own writing process, share your ideas and experiences, or publish your work to a reading audience.
Subscribe to writing blogs on the Internet. Read them, learn, share, and enjoy!
Let go of your inner editor. When you sit down to write a draft, refrain from proofreading until that draft is complete.
Make it your business to understand grammar and language.
You are a writer so own it and say it aloud: “I am a writer.â€
Write, write, write, and then write some more.
Most importantly, love your craft and always, always fall in love with your heroes.
Wishing you a happy 2016,
Connie Vines
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