I'm delighted to have Dianne Salermi as my guest today. So without further ado, I'll hand the microphone over to her.
***
First of all, I want to thank Ken for giving me this
opportunity to write a guest post in celebration of my January release of The
Inquisitor’s Mark, the second book in my Eighth Day series. He
asked me to talk about what I’ve learned during my journey as a writer.
Since 2009, I’ve written 5 books that are either published or
under contract. I’ve written 2 manuscripts that have (so far) received only
rejections. There are 3 more that have
not (yet) had the opportunity to go on submission. I count at least 3 that were
abandoned halfway through – although there are plenty more that were aborted
before I wrote more than a couple chapters.
What have I learned? Mostly, I’ve learned to understand
myself as a writer. The better I know my own process, the easier it is to
handle the stress, anxiety, and insecurities that come along with the job. (And
the less time I’ll waste trying to adopt other people’s styles.)
Some of the things I’ve learned to accept:
1. First Drafts Come
Better After Dark – For whatever reason, late night is the best time for me
to write new words. That’s when the Muse shows up for work and the Internal
Critic quits for the day. I’ve finally learned to stop fighting this
preference. I do all my blogging, email, revisions, and promotions in the
daytime and don’t even bother to open a blank page until evening.
2. I Hate Every
Project in the Middle – There comes a point about 1/3 into every first
draft when I’m convinced it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever written. It’s
boring. It’s unmarketable. Once in awhile, I’m correct on this, but a lot of
the time, it’s just temporary. During the time when I hate the manuscript, I
put it aside and work on something else. If the story is meant to be, it will
call me back.
3. I Panic at Every Revision
Letter – Every time I open an editorial letter, I go into a full blown
panic attack. My initial instinct is to assume I can’t possibly do whatever the
editor wants me to do. But in the end, I’ve always managed to satisfy my editors,
and I’ve never regretted a single change. Every book has turned out better for
an editor’s input and guidance. So if I have to run around the house in
agitation, cry, or breathe into a paper bag, I just get it out of my system and
then get down to business.
4. Walking Away is a
Good Thing – I tend to be very stubborn, and when I’m stuck, I want to keep
chewing on the problem until I have it solved. But the answer will often come
while I’m reading a book for pleasure – usually something totally unrelated to
my project. It’s really hard to close
the document and pick up a book, but I’m getting better at it.
5. If You Have to
Kill a Darling, Write a New One – Sometimes you have to cut the things you
love: A favorite scene, a witty line of dialogue (which is usually not as funny
as you think it is) … Over the years, I’ve gotten better at deleting those
darlings without regret. I just make up my mind to replace them with something
I like even better.
6. I Learn from False Starts and Abandoned Projects –
No writing is ever wasted. Whether I quit the project after a page, a chapter,
or 50,000 words, I learned something in the writing. Often, I learned what
doesn’t work, and that’s as valuable a lesson as learning what does work!
7. To Thy Own Process
Be True – It’s great that some authors have a fool-proof outlining method,
use Scrivener, or write 1000 words per day without fail. That’s just never
going to be me, and I’m happier for realizing it.
***
Thanks, Dianne. I still have trouble with number 5. I rarely delete my darlings. I just cut and paste them into a new document for later use. At least that's what I tell myself.
In the meantime, I suggest all of you pop on over to Amazon and check out Dianne's books. Eighth Day is the kind of book I'd like to write one day.
Kirkus says:
The Eighth Day -- “Ancient magic pairs nicely with modern
intrigue. Complicated alliances and ruthless villains keep the pages turning.”
The Inquisitor’s Mark – “An exciting blend of Arthurian legend
and organized crime.”
It's better when we know what works best for us. We each have our own process.
ReplyDeleteI usually hate my stuff when I start and it gets better. Means it's a wonder I ever start anything.
Congratulations, Dianne!
I start out loving the idea, but as soon as I try to put the words on the paper, I hate it for awhile. Just have to keep plugging through until I'm happy again.
DeleteKen, Thanks for having me here as your guest!
ReplyDeleteToday is probably a #4 for me. Gotta problem to chew on, and I think I'll do it with a book in hand.
Or maybe Netflix. :D
Usually when I get stuck on something, I just jump to another story. Sometimes it pays to be writing more than one book at a time.
DeleteKnowing what works best for us is definitely a plus. I do most of my best writing early morning, and I have the same problem as you do in number 2. Although, sometimes it takes me a little longer to reach that point.
ReplyDeleteGreat covers!
I think I do most of my best writing in the morning too. Unfortunately, that's when I have to be at work.
Delete#7 - I'm totally digging it.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Dianne. I've seen your books around, and I love your covers. They're on my TBR!
This is great advice, Dianne. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteDianne! I'm right there with you when it comes to first drafts. I've been fighting it for years, but it's totally true. Now how to reconcile family time vs writing time? *sigh*
ReplyDeleteI have the panic and 'I hate' phase in the revision phase. It always works out though. It's good to make peace with our process and own it.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to a lot of these! There's always a phase in the middle of a draft where I hate what I'm writing, and I always panic at revision letters, too. Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat insights, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHa! #5 is awesome! Killing darlings is never easy, but writing new ones is always fun.
ReplyDeleteFantastic post! Revisions always send me into a tailspin too.
ReplyDelete