Jess Montgomery
First, read! Read books that inspire, captivate and challenge you. Read books outside of your comfort zone. Of course you should read in the genre you wish to write, but also read outside your genre.
Learn all you can about the craft of writing before you concern yourself with learning about how to get published. Resources abound for learning about the craft. Attend authors' book events and listen carefully to what the authors have to say about their own process. You'll always learn something. I still do! Read books on creative writing craft, and read magazines on creative writing craft--Writer's Digest, The Writer, Poets & Writers. If you can afford the expenses or time, attend writers' workshops or conferences. Invest in learning your craft!
Write on a routine schedule. You don't necessarily have to write every day, or the exact same time every day, but getting into as much of a routine as possible will really help you get into the rhythm of writing. If you can only write a half hour, or twenty minutes, or ten minutes on a particular day, that's fine. Take that time and write!
When you're writing, try as much as possible to let go and let the words flow--don't pause every few sentences to critique your work. Just get the words down in a raw, rough draft. You can't revise what isn't written.
But do know that real writing is re-writing. You might end up keeping only 10 percent of your original raw, rough draft. That is fine! Revise, revise, revise.
Develop a community of writers. Community is so important! Find a few trusted readers with whom to share your work. Listen for constructive feedback. Provide that as well to a few fellow writers.
If you get feedback from a professional--an agent, a published writer, an editor--listen closely and carefully. Be coachable! It's essential to growing in your craft as a writer.
When you are ready to submit your work, recognize the reality that you will receive many, many rejections before you receive an acceptance. Remember that it is this particular piece of work that is being rejected (or accepted)--not you as an individual, or your overall potential or merit as a writer.
And never give up!
Learn all you can about the craft of writing before you concern yourself with learning about how to get published. Resources abound for learning about the craft. Attend authors' book events and listen carefully to what the authors have to say about their own process. You'll always learn something. I still do! Read books on creative writing craft, and read magazines on creative writing craft--Writer's Digest, The Writer, Poets & Writers. If you can afford the expenses or time, attend writers' workshops or conferences. Invest in learning your craft!
Write on a routine schedule. You don't necessarily have to write every day, or the exact same time every day, but getting into as much of a routine as possible will really help you get into the rhythm of writing. If you can only write a half hour, or twenty minutes, or ten minutes on a particular day, that's fine. Take that time and write!
When you're writing, try as much as possible to let go and let the words flow--don't pause every few sentences to critique your work. Just get the words down in a raw, rough draft. You can't revise what isn't written.
But do know that real writing is re-writing. You might end up keeping only 10 percent of your original raw, rough draft. That is fine! Revise, revise, revise.
Develop a community of writers. Community is so important! Find a few trusted readers with whom to share your work. Listen for constructive feedback. Provide that as well to a few fellow writers.
If you get feedback from a professional--an agent, a published writer, an editor--listen closely and carefully. Be coachable! It's essential to growing in your craft as a writer.
When you are ready to submit your work, recognize the reality that you will receive many, many rejections before you receive an acceptance. Remember that it is this particular piece of work that is being rejected (or accepted)--not you as an individual, or your overall potential or merit as a writer.
And never give up!
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