You Are Not Crap!

A couple of weeks ago I had the terrifying pleasure of speaking to a writing group run by December House's very own Amanda Reynolds (wait for her DH debut later this year - 'When You and Me Were Us' - you'll LOVE it!).  I'm not normally up for that sort of thing, but she suggested, I sighed, she inveigled, I raised an eyebrow, she flattered, I accepted immediately, and a month later there we were.  They were a polite bunch, with a good line in earnest nodding and scribbling down everything I said, but just in case they were actually doodling here is the refined gist of what I said, for their benefit and yours:

1) You can get better!

I don't know how to stress this enough.  Your talent is not set, it is not static, it is not limited.  There is no ceiling over your head.  You can, and should, learn to be a better writer every single day.  On more than one occasion I have worked with an author who has sent me an example of their early work, "just to look over, no pressure" and on more than one occasion I have had to politely tell them how completely crap it is.  They are invariably horrified and regret letting me ever see it, but all it shows me is how much they've grown creatively between then and now.

2) How do I get better?

Here's the thing: we all like to imagine ourselves sitting down to a computer, swigging back some coffee and then simply allowing the creative gates to burst open, unleashing a torrent of instinctively brilliant, effortless prose.  Sometimes that happens, sure, but most days you sit and you think, and you write and you think some more, and it all feels very much like hard work.  Because it IS work, and one day you will hopefully be doing it as your JOB.  And, as with every other job, you have to put in the hours and the effort.  If writing, to you, is simply a fun thing that makes you feel creative and inspired then great, enjoy that, but don't imagine that you will ever produce anything of interest to anyone other than yourself and your loving family.  If you actually want to be a writer then you have to actually get down and write, critically, thoughtfully, emotionally, honestly.

3) Yes, but how?

Think about what you are trying to achieve, in each paragraph, each, scene, each chapter, in the overall piece.  Are you doing it?  If not, why not?  Question yourself every step of the way: are your characters behaving according to their lights, or are they driven by plot concerns? Are you remaining consistent within the boundaries of the universe you have created/chosen? Does every single part of it make sense?  Look at other authors - ones you admire and ones you don't.  When you read, read critically.  If you find yourself enjoying something ask yourself why.  If something doesn't work for you, if you feel disappointed, let down, or unsatisfied, look at what the piece you're reading would have needed to do to change that.  Do you make those same mistakes? If something is great, why is it great?  Why is it working for you? Could you make your piece work using the same techniques?  You will learn so much from looking at how other people do it.

4) So, I should copy the greats?

No, their voice is their voice and your voice is your voice.  It's not about trying to be someone else, it's about trying to look at what the good authors are doing right and what the bad authors are doing wrong and learning from that.  The worst thing you can do is try to write in someone else's style.  Be you, and if you haven't quite found that yet then keep looking.  This is a journey for you, and everything you write is a step forwards.

5) If I get rejected, should I give up?

That's up to you.  You need a tough, tough, tough, skin to try to make it as a writer.  You need to be able to take advice and criticism without losing your own grasp of the piece.  You need to be able to cope with rejection when it inevitably comes and, more importantly, the paralysing fear of rejection that can stop you even getting going.  It's not an easy thing to do, and if you think you can't handle it then don't even try.  But, for goodness' sake, don't give up because you don't think (or because someone tells you) you aren't a good enough writer.  You (and they) may well be right, but you (and they) and only right FOR NOW.  Who knows what you can achieve in the future if you keep on learning and improving?

Ultimately, the writing business is a whole nasty world of uncontrollables: you can't make someone read your submission, you can't make them like it, you can't make someone publish your book, and, even if you do get published, you can't make critics appreciate it or the general public buy it.  The one  thing that is in your hands is your ability.  People can tell you "no" as much as they like, and they probably will, but don't ever let them tell you you can't do this, or let them make you feel like this is a world you don't belong to.  You ARE a writer and one day, with practice, you have every chance of being a good one, maybe even a great one.  It's up to you.