7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Jaime Lee Moyer
Outside of personal experience, the best way to learn is to get advice from people who’ve been there and done that. Discover the seven things learned so far by author Jaime Lee Moyer.
This is a recurring column called “7 Things I’ve Learned So Far,”where writers (this installment written by Jaime Lee Moyer, author of DELIA'S SHADOW) at any stage of their career can talk about writing advice and instruction as well as how they possibly got their book agent -- by sharing seven things they’ve learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning.
1. No one else can teach you how to write. Writing wasn't something I could learn from a how to write book or by hitting all the steps in a how to video. The only way for me to learn was to write and keep writing. I didn't wake up one morning writing stunning, professional prose or perfect plots (no one does). Like all crafts, being a writer takes practice. I wrote all I could in any scrap of time I could find, then I wrote more.
2. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, toss what doesn't work, and start again. Professionals throw away chunks of novels and stories all the time and start again. Not every story will work, not every plot will come together or every character come to life. None of the mistakes I made were a waste of time or effort, because each one of them taught me something that made the next story better. The same is true of query letters. If the one you've written doesn't get you requests, start over.
3. The more I learn about writing, the more I find I don't know. One skill builds on another and new skills strengthen things I've already learned. It's not as if I can learn it all and stop, it's a process that will continue my entire life.
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4. Writing is not for the timid or faint of heart. I can't flinch or pull back because writing something is "hard" or painful, and take the easy way around. If anything, that means I have to write what's making me flinch and give it my all. The difficult and the painful bits of a story are what make it real. And I can't be afraid of what others will think about what I write, or that a reader might equate a character's thoughts and actions with mine.
5. Don't fall into the trap of thinking every word you write is perfect and untouchable. Really, they aren't. Too much praise is as dangerous for a writer as too much harsh criticism. Beta readers who point out what you do right, as well as what needs to be fixed, are a writer's best friend. The flip side of this is learning to trust your instincts. If you know down in your bones that something is right for your story, and absolutely needs to be there, stick to your guns. The two things aren't mutually exclusive.
6. If you can't figure out what's wrong with a story, put it away for a few months. Or longer. Write more stories while this one sits in a drawer. This is a luxury writers who aren't writing to deadline should take full advantage of. That constant learning curve might have taught you what's wrong and how to fix it when you pull it out again. Or you may recognize that the story is still and will always be a hopeless mess. Either way, you win.
7. The only way to really and truly fail as a writer is to stop trying. I believe that with all my heart.
Jaime Lee Moyer lives in San Antonio with musician Marshall Payne, two cats, three guitars and a growing collection of books and music. Her first novel, DELIA'S SHADOW (Sept. 2013), is out now from Tor Books. Two other books in the series, A BARRICADE IN HELL, and AGAINST A BRIGHTENING SKY, will be published in June 2014 and February 2015, respectively. Her novels are represented by Tamar Rydzinski of Laura Dail Literary. Connect with her on Twitter.
