1. Sit down at the computer, paper, whatever.
2. Write.
That's it. That's all there is.
I get asked a fair amount these days, how to get started writing. Most people really mean, how can they get published? Those are not the same thing. It's pretty easy to self-research how to get published, so whenever anyone asks me the question I'm always a bit skeptical about their future. Not because I know anything about their level of talent, but because they haven't looked into the issue themselves. This speaks of a certain lack of dedication. Writing is mostly dedication.
When I talk to school groups I try to make them understand just how bad most of my initial drafts are, and just how much I change them. It's hard for readers to understand, because they've only ever read the final draft. I know this.
Still, this is how you do it:
Sit down.
Write.
Tell the truth. That's the whole thing.
2. Write.
That's it. That's all there is.
I get asked a fair amount these days, how to get started writing. Most people really mean, how can they get published? Those are not the same thing. It's pretty easy to self-research how to get published, so whenever anyone asks me the question I'm always a bit skeptical about their future. Not because I know anything about their level of talent, but because they haven't looked into the issue themselves. This speaks of a certain lack of dedication. Writing is mostly dedication.
When I talk to school groups I try to make them understand just how bad most of my initial drafts are, and just how much I change them. It's hard for readers to understand, because they've only ever read the final draft. I know this.
Still, this is how you do it:
Sit down.
Write.
Tell the truth. That's the whole thing.
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