Novel writing isn’t for the faint of heart. It is not a matter of just sitting down and starting at the beginning, then writing until you get to the end. Good grief, would it even be writing if it were that simple and didn’t involve tears?!
It is definitely a daunting task, and many people have a hard time knowing where and how to even get started, much less what to do once they’re off and running. I’ve gotten some questions about my experience with writing, so I figured I’d try to answer a few!
Here we go:
- What general advice would you give to another writer?
The biggest piece of advice I give when asked is to find a writing community. It is so easy to get into your own head and convince yourself that every word is pure gold and needs no editing, or that every word is burning trash and writing isn’t your strong suit. But when you are surrounded by a supportive community, you can bounce ideas off each other, be cheerleaders for each other, and hold each other accountable. Having other people around who literally know what I’m feeling has been invaluable to me and my writing journey. - What tips do you have for writing realistic dialogue?
Read it OUT LOUD. I’ve found this is the best way to see how it flows, if it feels awkward and unnatural. Think about your characters and where they’re from; would they speak formally, or use slang? Are they from a different era or an entirely different world? Try to keep it true to the story, and also try to keep it sounding like actual people, so you don’t jar the reader out of the scene. No matter what, though: read it out loud. Trust me on this. - How do you deal with imposter syndrome?
Here is another occasion when the writing community comes in handy. Imposter syndrome will knock you on your tuchus again and again, but having people around who are going through the same thing can be exceptionally helpful. Otherwise, I try to remind myself that I love writing and that in the long run it doesn’t matter if anyone else does; writing makes me happy.
So there you have it! A few questions asked, and a few questions answered. Keep ’em coming! I love hearing what people are curious about and I am – I apologize for the pun – an open book!
