M.L. Harveland
As I always say: You are the purveyor of your own destiny. Nothing is going to happen unless you take that first step forward.
What’s that first step? Starting to write. That’s it. Whether it’s putting pen to paper or fingers to keys, just let the words flow from your mind. Purge those scenes as they manifest from your imagination. Then, find a way to organize your ideas into a rhythmic flow and then keep writing until it resembles a manuscript (i.e. it has a beginning, middle, and an end).
Get feedback. Let as many people read your manuscript as possible. Establish workshop groups of various ages, have them give you thorough reader feedback. When reading the critiques, avoid sticking yourself in that dark quagmire of defensiveness. Remember: feedback is the path to improvement, and true constructive criticism will only enrich your craft.
Implement the feedback and improve the work. Find editors. Yes, plural. I have a Master’s in English, am a professional editor, and taught English at a collegiate level. Even I need editors; they help to fine-tune the language and find cracks in the storyline.
Revise. Rewrite. Polish. Repeat. All first drafts are total shit. Remember that. ALL of them.
Know that the business of writing requires a strong backbone and thick skin. Negative reviews will happen. You will hear hundreds of “no” responses before that one “yes.” Give it five seconds of your thoughtful time, then slough it off your shoulders and forge ahead.
Above all else, never ever stop writing, ever. It doesn’t matter whether you have 5 hours or 5 minutes; making time for writing every day will increase your chances of finishing that manuscript you’ve always dreamed of completing. Additionally, it will ignite your passion, and that, friends, is the closest we come to finding true paradise.
What’s that first step? Starting to write. That’s it. Whether it’s putting pen to paper or fingers to keys, just let the words flow from your mind. Purge those scenes as they manifest from your imagination. Then, find a way to organize your ideas into a rhythmic flow and then keep writing until it resembles a manuscript (i.e. it has a beginning, middle, and an end).
Get feedback. Let as many people read your manuscript as possible. Establish workshop groups of various ages, have them give you thorough reader feedback. When reading the critiques, avoid sticking yourself in that dark quagmire of defensiveness. Remember: feedback is the path to improvement, and true constructive criticism will only enrich your craft.
Implement the feedback and improve the work. Find editors. Yes, plural. I have a Master’s in English, am a professional editor, and taught English at a collegiate level. Even I need editors; they help to fine-tune the language and find cracks in the storyline.
Revise. Rewrite. Polish. Repeat. All first drafts are total shit. Remember that. ALL of them.
Know that the business of writing requires a strong backbone and thick skin. Negative reviews will happen. You will hear hundreds of “no” responses before that one “yes.” Give it five seconds of your thoughtful time, then slough it off your shoulders and forge ahead.
Above all else, never ever stop writing, ever. It doesn’t matter whether you have 5 hours or 5 minutes; making time for writing every day will increase your chances of finishing that manuscript you’ve always dreamed of completing. Additionally, it will ignite your passion, and that, friends, is the closest we come to finding true paradise.
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