The experience
It occurred to me that if I wanted to be an author, maybe I should start by writing about the writing experience itself. Why? One, I might find it interesting down the road. Two, it could potentially help others start writing as well. Third: it’s just good practice!
Why did I decide to write?
Blame it on my husband. Like everything else, it’s his fault. Seriously.
I am a voracious reader. I read every second of the day that I can. I read almost any type of fiction, excluding horror. (Sorry to all you horror fans, but I dislike nightmares.) So, hubby asked the all-important question: Why don’t you write a book? My response:
Huh. Why not?
After all, it would be a great way to get all those stories floating around in my brain out, and maybe make room for something else. Since I retired from my day job, it was time to start.
Step 1
Like everything else in life, writing is far more complicated than it sounds. Sure, I sat down and drafted up Book 1 quickly, but there’s more to it than just drafting a manuscript. At least, there’s more to it if you want to publish that manuscript.
So, I found an online conference for writers. It was geared mostly toward getting new followers, so it was really for someone a bit further along in the process than I was at the time, but it was extremely interesting, and very informative. Many other attendees were also just drafting their first manuscripts, while others had already published and were looking to expand their marketing.
In the old days, you wrote the Great American Novel, shopped it around to publishing houses, and hoped someone picked it up. When they did, they then did most of the work: they helped with editors, formatting, cover design, marketing, book signings, etc. You did what they told you to do.
Now, more and more writers are going Indie, so they have to do these things themselves, or at least start off doing those things themselves. Down the road, they might make enough money to pay others to do pieces/parts of it.
First up, from what I learned, is just learning the proper way to write. I can be a pantser, as they call writing by the seat of your pants, but if I want to be successful long-term, I need to learn to do it well on demand. What does that mean?
I have to learn to plot, to define the pieces of the puzzle that, when fleshed out, become the full novel. I need to know how to develop characters that readers will be invested in, how to develop fascinating new worlds, and how to design and build a mystery. What readers of these genres expect and how to give it to them. All kinds of things, depending on the genre I want to write in. Since I have ideas in multiple genres, it means learning lots of things.
Good thing I like learning.
So much for retirement.
