For me, editing was the worst part of writing, which is why I never did it.
In an attempt to turn editing into a more manageable process, I have combined two of my favorite hobbies into one theory, which I call “Target Editing.”
I compare editing to archery.
Archery is a wonderful sport. It takes very little skill to get mediocre at it, and your output is directly influenced by the amount of practice you put in. Sound familiar?
Often writing advice comes at a price. You don’t always know what works and what doesn’t unless you actually put it into practice and get results.
I’m here to say that every situation is different. So understand that as a writer, it’s up to you to find out what works.
Below, I’ve presented 15 alternative ways to approach your writing. Despite many of them going against what other professionals may preach, I think you’ll find some wisdom in each step.
Do you know what I did today?
I wrote a hundred lines on little pieces of paper and cut them all out so I can tape them back in a new order. Why did I do this, you ask?
Because I wrote a novel without planning it.
I have scenes that have no bearing on the plotlines. I have characters who only made one appearance or were mentioned and never appeared. I even had a character change age, demeanor and goals halfway through the novel.
So now, I have to go back and do a ton of work to make it all fit together and rewrite the weak parts, whilst cutting erroneous scenes. Not smart. So how to avoid doing this ever again?
There’s a question that crops up on writing forums a lot: how do I improve my writing?
And quite often, the most common advice is “read and write lots”. Which is perfectly fine advice. Knowing what’s good and practicing your craft are great ways to imrpove.
But there’s only so far that advice can take you. At some point you’re going to need to follow a third piece of advice:
Know your weaknesses.
By identifying weaknesses, you can work harder on improving that aspect of your writing rather than just practicing everything and hoping for the best.
I’m not wearing pants. However, when writing novels, sometimes I like to sit in my jeans or maybe pajama bottoms. Wait a minute. I know what you’re thinking. “Is he really going to talk about the benefits of writing with or without pants?” Well, I was going to…
I think the more appropriate question might be, “How do you write?” Do you write with no pants (aka “seat of the pants writer” or “pantser”) or do you write with all your clothes laid out (aka “outline writer”)? This is an age old question that is often batted back and forth between writers of all types. When it comes to fantasy writing, boy, do you have a lot of work to do.
I’ll go point by point (with no pants), explaining why just making stuff up as you go along vs. outlining and world-building every minute detail can be both a pleasant and horrifying experience: like getting drowned by mermaids.
“I’m stuck.” These two words ring in your ears.
That blank page. The blinking cursor. After three hours of hard-work, all you have is this:
The Knight of Moonberries
by John R. R. R. R. JohnsonThe knight walked…
And that’s it.
That blank page is waiting for you to blow it up. Fill it full of holes. Slash it, burn it, run over it with a tank.
So here I am to tell you how to forever and ever, eliminate writer’s block from your vocabulary. These are 5 ways (maybe not the Top 5, but nevertheless 5 ways) to smash writer’s block in the face and send it spiraling out into the cosmos.
As writers, we ask ourselves this question at one time or another: How can I tell if my work is good?
This is the wrong question. The right question is, “How can I tell if my work is good enough to accomplish my goal?” And that, of course, depends on what your goal is.
If your goal is to sell a novel to a Big Six publisher, you’re going to have a very different standard than if your goal is simply to entertain a small audience on the Internet, or even if your goal is simply to finish NaNoWriMo.
If you’re writing a novel with the goal of finding an established publisher, then the novel only has to be able to impress at least one editor enough that she is willing to give you a contract.
So how can you tell if it’s good enough for that to happen?
Making It Happen
This article is by Neil Olmedo.
Everyone has a story to tell. Most people have the dream of writing a novel, but few actually make this dream a reality. Here are five essential tips for anyone who wishes to write a novel.
The first rule is really very simple: just start writing. You can dream of becoming an author, but you’ll never succeed at it until you actually sit down and start writing.
Set aside some time to write every day. Depending on how serious you are about following your dream, this time could be as little as ten minutes or as much as an hour. Whatever you decide, stick to it, and write for the whole time.
Brooks vs. King
When I first began writing I would sit in front of the computer for hours, staring at a blank screen. I hoped that inspiration would strike, but usually it didn’t. So I would force myself to type something, praying that it would turn out to be half-decent. Back then writing was a long, tortuous process.
And then I discovered outlining.
When I made a detailed outline in advance, writing became a breeze. The outline served as a road map, reminding me where I was headed. Because I knew that the story was going someplace worthwhile, I had the confidence to proceed at a brisk pace. Writing was no longer painful.
So clearly outlining is a beneficial practice, right? Stephen King disagrees.
