Svrtnsse submitted a new blog post:
So, You Want to Be a Writer?
by Nils Ödlund
In order to be a writer, there is one thing that you must do: write.
Really, that's all there is to it. Sit down and write. You'll be a writer.
What's a little more difficult is to write something that others enjoy reading. I found that out the hard way. Just because I'd written something, it didn't mean everyone else automatically enjoyed it.
A few years ago (maybe five or six), I posted an excerpt of a chapter from the first draft of my would-be debut novel. I expected to receive praise and adoration for my beautifully flowing prose, and for my intriguing world-building – or, well, at least some positive comments.
This did not happen.
Instead, I received a few remarks about things I didn't know what they were, and didn't understand, but which seemed important. Passive prose. Tension. Telling instead of showing. I also received a bunch of helpful advice and suggestions, and slowly, I came to the realisation that I might not be quite the literary genius I imagined myself to be.
In this article, I'll share some of the things I did in order to try and become a better writer. What I won't do, is tell you how to be a better writer, or even what it means to be a good writer.
1. Admit there's room for improvement.
The first thing I did, I already described above. I really was convinced I was an awesome writer, and while I haven't quite gotten that notion...
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
So, You Want to Be a Writer?
by Nils Ödlund
In order to be a writer, there is one thing that you must do: write.
Really, that's all there is to it. Sit down and write. You'll be a writer.
What's a little more difficult is to write something that others enjoy reading. I found that out the hard way. Just because I'd written something, it didn't mean everyone else automatically enjoyed it.
A few years ago (maybe five or six), I posted an excerpt of a chapter from the first draft of my would-be debut novel. I expected to receive praise and adoration for my beautifully flowing prose, and for my intriguing world-building – or, well, at least some positive comments.
This did not happen.
Instead, I received a few remarks about things I didn't know what they were, and didn't understand, but which seemed important. Passive prose. Tension. Telling instead of showing. I also received a bunch of helpful advice and suggestions, and slowly, I came to the realisation that I might not be quite the literary genius I imagined myself to be.
In this article, I'll share some of the things I did in order to try and become a better writer. What I won't do, is tell you how to be a better writer, or even what it means to be a good writer.
1. Admit there's room for improvement.
The first thing I did, I already described above. I really was convinced I was an awesome writer, and while I haven't quite gotten that notion...
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.