Hello everyone. I am sort of a writer. I have always wanted to write a book. I have always loved reading when younger (hence my bad eye sight as an adult for too much reading in the dark) 😬
I have written plenty of poetry. I have co owned and worked in a bookstore. My dream came true. Short lived as it was but it still happened.
Do you all have any tips for this NOOB?
Hello everyone. I am sort of a writer. I have always wanted to write a book. I have always loved reading when younger (hence my bad eye sight as an adult for too much reading in the dark) 😬
I have written plenty of poetry. I have co owned and worked in a bookstore. My dream came true. Short lived as it was but it still happened.
Do you all have any tips for this NOOB?
Hi there, Katie,
Thanks for your post. I think the monthly challenges on Novelo are a good way to get into the habit of writing regularly - and to deadlines. Check out my story 'Gold Bug Resolution' in this month's challenge - and let me know what you think of it before the end of January.
Aside from writing, it's good to get feedback on your work from a group of trusted writing friends. Do you have a story on Novelo that you want to be read and reviewed? Do let me know if so. I'll take a look at it.
Starting with poetry is a good idea - as most poems are relatively short. (I did poetry writing myself when I was younger.) Poetry is also often the purest writing there is. However Novelo doesn't support poetry as I understand it. From poetry you could move to writing flash fiction and short stories. (a bit longer) Follow that up with a novella maybe. And then you could move on to writing a novel. And finally to creating a series of novels. Step by step you will get more confident with each length of written text as you progress.
Oh, and as well as writing regularly, I think you should read regularly, too. You said you were a great reader - which is a good sign. You could, for example. read lots of ghost stories if you want to write ghost stories, etc. There are also some good books on writing out there that should be helpful to read when you're starting out.
By the way, which kind of books do you like to read? As you have worked in a bookstore (and co-owned one), which shelves attracted you the most? Normally what you like reading will be what you might try writing first. Though there is something to be said for writing the book the you wanted to read but couldn't actually find.
The only difference between a 'sort of a writer' and a 'writer' in my opinion is that a writer sits down and actually writes something from time to time and preferably regularly. But often at school we are programmed to analyse and criticise writing - so our positive and creative side can end up weaker than our negative and critical side. It's important to still your critical inner voices when you are in the initial creating stage,
The empty page (or screen) can be a challenge. So get something (anything) written down as a first step. You (or an editor) can always improve on it later once you have expressed it externally.
I hope this reply is helpful.
Bill