Maddy Kobar
Never stop writing. Seriously. If you want to be an author, you MUST write. You cannot become a great author by dreaming alone. This sounds obvious, but I have met several people who spend so much time talking about all the goals they want to tackle and they never actually make any actions towards their goals. Talk with no action is just talk, as simple as that.
Writing is an action. It's not always easy since it takes time, unique ideas, and perseverance. Do not just "copy-paste" other people's ideas (it's painfully obvious when new writers try to copy existing work). Instead, be inspired by several different things and synthesize them into your own work. Read as much as you can. Listen closely to the lyrics of your favorite music (it's audio poetry). Take time to surround yourself with both nature and art. Give yourself time to think. An author's unique voice is their strongest weapon- after all, there is only one you. Whether you want it to or not, your life experience will influence your writing. It's better to lean into that rather than away from it.
Get used to hearing "NO" from publishers and agents too. Don't let it crush you. New authors are seen as risky for industry professionals to pick up so unless they LOVE your idea as much as you do, it will probably be a no. One of my novels was rejected almost fifty times by various agents and publishers. Has that destroyed me? No. I'm still writing. If anything, I let that rejection inspire me to get the energy to edit it heavily, making it into an almost entirely different story.
And not everyone in the reading public is going to like your writing either, but that's okay. If you put enough time in and practice your craft often, you will find plenty of people who will. Those are the people who you were trying to reach all along. The world has a way of working out like that. You'll find your readership. Just be patient and never give up hope!
Writing is an action. It's not always easy since it takes time, unique ideas, and perseverance. Do not just "copy-paste" other people's ideas (it's painfully obvious when new writers try to copy existing work). Instead, be inspired by several different things and synthesize them into your own work. Read as much as you can. Listen closely to the lyrics of your favorite music (it's audio poetry). Take time to surround yourself with both nature and art. Give yourself time to think. An author's unique voice is their strongest weapon- after all, there is only one you. Whether you want it to or not, your life experience will influence your writing. It's better to lean into that rather than away from it.
Get used to hearing "NO" from publishers and agents too. Don't let it crush you. New authors are seen as risky for industry professionals to pick up so unless they LOVE your idea as much as you do, it will probably be a no. One of my novels was rejected almost fifty times by various agents and publishers. Has that destroyed me? No. I'm still writing. If anything, I let that rejection inspire me to get the energy to edit it heavily, making it into an almost entirely different story.
And not everyone in the reading public is going to like your writing either, but that's okay. If you put enough time in and practice your craft often, you will find plenty of people who will. Those are the people who you were trying to reach all along. The world has a way of working out like that. You'll find your readership. Just be patient and never give up hope!
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