Goodreads asked Devin Hanson:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Devin Hanson Write. I know it sounds trite, but really the best way to become a writer is to sit down and write. And then write some more. I'd written well over 500,000 words before I found a style I was comfortable with and was able to write consistently.

My second piece of advice would be to read. Read hundreds of books, and not just in the genre you want to write in; read other genres too. You might think you want to only write fantasy novels, but if you're familiar with how mystery novels flow, you could work some whodunnit into your swords and sorcery.

Lastly, I would have to say, don't be too critical of yourself. It's common for authors to say they're their own worst critics. There is plenty of time to be critical of your own work later, but when you're writing, just write. In NaNoWriMo, they suggest never editing a single word until you're done. It's very easy to get caught up in trying to make that conversation come out just right, or trying to make a particular scene hit hard emotionally. Don't bother. Finish your whole draft, then go back and tweak the scenes. You might be surprised at how good it sounds once you've got some distance from it.

flag