Mistakes Beginning Writers Should Avoid
Life is about new beginnings. With new beginnings come new opportunities, but also challenges and mistakes we did not expect. So it is with writing. These are the mistakes beginning writers should avoid.
1. Have No Focus
What you create is fully under your control. Your aim should be to finish what you’re working on, not just to see where it goes. Outside factors may not be controllable, but inside factors (motivation and focus) are always fully within your hands.
A writer’s main focus should be to create good work.
2. Have Only One Copy Of Your Work
I began writing my first novel during my freshmen year of college. I was learning to balance my classes, work part-time, and write a novel at the same time. One morning, I was trying to finish up one of the middle chapters of my novel, but was in a hurry because I had to get to class for an exam. I clicked save and got up quickly, kicking the computer tower, and spoiling the disk. I took it to my campus’ tech team, but even they couldn’t recover the disk. At last, I had to retype eleven chapters based on my last printed draft.
Hence, the reason you should have more than one copy of your writing. Always save your manuscript to your flashdrive and one other place, your desktop or via email. Just in case.
3. Send Work Out Too Early
Many writers rush to put out their work because of outside variables. They feel they have to compete with other writers or show the world what they’ve written. What they don’t realize is that there’s no need to gallop through the writing process. Extra time is what your work may need to become truly memorable. You want your writing to resonate with readers and not be added to the slush pile of books they regret buying.
4. Devour Everything On Writing
There is a lot of information available on writing. There are writing blogs, writing forums, tons of articles on writing, industry news on writing, etc. But all this reading about writing adds up and may prove counterproductive.
It’s important to learn about your craft, but your priority should be practicing your craft. So good luck and happy writing.
Originally posted at The Fiction Enthusiast
1. Have No Focus
What you create is fully under your control. Your aim should be to finish what you’re working on, not just to see where it goes. Outside factors may not be controllable, but inside factors (motivation and focus) are always fully within your hands.
A writer’s main focus should be to create good work.
2. Have Only One Copy Of Your Work
I began writing my first novel during my freshmen year of college. I was learning to balance my classes, work part-time, and write a novel at the same time. One morning, I was trying to finish up one of the middle chapters of my novel, but was in a hurry because I had to get to class for an exam. I clicked save and got up quickly, kicking the computer tower, and spoiling the disk. I took it to my campus’ tech team, but even they couldn’t recover the disk. At last, I had to retype eleven chapters based on my last printed draft.
Hence, the reason you should have more than one copy of your writing. Always save your manuscript to your flashdrive and one other place, your desktop or via email. Just in case.
3. Send Work Out Too Early
Many writers rush to put out their work because of outside variables. They feel they have to compete with other writers or show the world what they’ve written. What they don’t realize is that there’s no need to gallop through the writing process. Extra time is what your work may need to become truly memorable. You want your writing to resonate with readers and not be added to the slush pile of books they regret buying.
4. Devour Everything On Writing
There is a lot of information available on writing. There are writing blogs, writing forums, tons of articles on writing, industry news on writing, etc. But all this reading about writing adds up and may prove counterproductive.
It’s important to learn about your craft, but your priority should be practicing your craft. So good luck and happy writing.
Originally posted at The Fiction Enthusiast
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