Comments on: Share Your Golden Writing Wisdom!

By: Ken

Ken — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 17:04:54 +0000

Love writing but too often life gets in the way? As a novel writer I counter that obstacle by using a "look in the mirror" strategy. On a spread sheet (my mirror) I record the day I wrote something in my novel. I note the number of words written and the total words done. Seeing several days missing is like being reminded of a due date for a credit card payment. I hate the notion of paying interest on a late payment. Seeing the number of words written shows good days and great days, what is possible when I think about what I have to write next before sitting down at the computer. Guess what image I most like to see in my mirror.

By: Jenny Hansen

Jenny Hansen — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 22:47:22 +0000

In reply to jayjhicks. Scenes!! I'm all about that, Jay. Julie and I both tend to quilt it all together and that's what works for us. It gives Laura hives. This is the beauty of writing!! And hello to you in lovely Australia. I totally want to go to one of Margie's Immersion classes THERE. :-)

By: jayjhicks

jayjhicks — Mon, 29 Jul 2019 01:38:09 +0000

I set a pact with myself - to write a minimum 300 words Every. Single. Day. No excuses - some days I write thousands, others just 300 at the end of the day. With this, comes my second tip: I wrote my first draft in scenes. Ideas arrived, grew and flourished. Writing every day, even before closing your eyes, keeps your characters alive and front of mind.

Now I have all that down, and am so happy with my story, I want to know best editing practices. It’s a huge task, right? I don’t like the idea of editing as I go. Don’t see the point in early draft.
Love this post. Love WITS. Hugs to all from Australia.

By: Laura Drake

Laura Drake — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 08:10:41 +0000

In reply to barbdelong. Love Leonard too, Barb. But it's knowing exactly which parts they skip that's tough...

By: barbdelong

barbdelong — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 22:14:24 +0000

Great stuff here, Laura! To paraphrase Elmore Leonard, if it sounds like writing, rewrite it. And, leave out all the parts readers skip.

By: Laura Drake

Laura Drake — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 21:22:33 +0000

In reply to tracybrody. Loved seeing you, Tracy!

By: Laura Drake

Laura Drake — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 21:19:36 +0000

In reply to Eldred Bird. True, Eldred, but I have one more bit of wisdom that doesn't just apply to writing: You only know what you know what you know, and not one second earlier! Cut yourself some slack.

By: Eldred Bird

Eldred Bird — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 20:37:44 +0000

Thanks, Laura. There's some great ones there.
The hardest lesson for me to learn was trust the reader. When I go back and look at my earlier work I cringe. I was spoon-feeding information to the readers that they really didn't need, and killing the pacing in the process. Now I give them what they need to know and trust that they can fill in the blanks with their own imagination.

By: tracybrody

tracybrody — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 18:07:13 +0000

Going to copy and share some of these - giving you full credit of course. Good to see you briefly in NYC!

By: Laura Drake

Laura Drake — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 18:06:10 +0000

In reply to Sally Jadlow. Love that, Sally!