In the aftermath of submitting the final version of my novel
“Winds of Wyoming” to the publisher a week ago, I’ve been thinking about the individuals
I credited in the acknowledgements. As all writers know, we cannot recognize everyone who helped us on our journey to
publication (even if we could remember all their names!). The list of
supporters would probably begin with the person who taught us to mouth our
first words and the one who helped our stubby fingers scrawl our first alphabet
letters with a crayon. We could even add God, who made those little digits and
the muscles and synapses that connect them to our brains. On through our
development the list would march, including mention of the junior-high, high-school
and college English teachers who gave us “As”—and the ones who gave us “Ds” (and
predicted manual labor would be our lifetime occupation).
But certain people stand out as do significant events that
shape who we become. I am deeply grateful to those who focused my vision and kept
me on the path to reach my objective, whether it was a writing friend, a
critique partner, a career coach, my husband, my agent, my editor, a workshop
leader, a writing class or a book about writing. I honestly could not have done
it without them.
The key ingredient to growing through the input others
offer, I believe, is a receptive, humble heart. Few of us find it easy to
accept correction, or even advice, at times. Yet, writers who live and work in
the myopic world inside their heads are writing to an audience outside of those
noggins. Whether that audience is one person or one-million people, the only
way readers will get the message is
if the message is conveyed in an understandable fashion. That’s where our
supporters play into the picture. They encourage clarity in our writing and teach
us how to achieve writing that truly communicates.
To grow and learn as a writer, one has to not only be open
to suggestion and correction but to find places and ways to receive instruction
and encouragement. Join a local or online critique group or find a critique
partner who’s courageous enough to tell you the truth. Join local and national
writer clubs and organizations. Take writing classes. Read, read, read, READ!
Anything and everything (well, within limits …). Read books and magazines and
newspapers. Read poetry and short stories. Read fiction and nonfiction. Read
within your interest area and outside of it. Read online and offline. In
addition, read books that show you how to improve your writing, at least one a
month.
You may have been told you’re a gifted writer, but as Dan
Miller of www.48days.com, says, that’s just
raw material. “Every one of you has special gifts – singing, writing,
gardening, art, computer skills, selling abilities, teaching others,
encouraging others – but whatever our gift is – it’s a raw product. It
has limited value until we apply the discipline necessary to make it useful to
ourselves and others.”
Probably the most important advice I can offer is to write,
write, write, WRITE! Write every day, at least a few sentences. Do a brain dump
onto your paper or computer without making changes. Wait a couple days before
returning to the first draft. You’ll be able to see needed “fixes” if you lay
the writing aside for a time. When you’re satisfied that what you’ve produced
is the best you can do (I have to go through my work several times to reach
that stage), give it to a loved one to read. But don’t stop there. Hand your
story, poem, essay, chapter or article to your writers group or your critique
partner and ask them for an honest,
critical evaluation. I’ve found that, though positive responses stroke the
ego, such input doesn’t always improve my prose or provide learning
opportunities. Also, in case you haven’t entered writing contests, those
competitions are great places to receive unbiased input from anonymous but
knowledgeable judges.
Keep on, keep on, keep on, KEEP ON WRITING! Diana Gabaldon,
author of Outlander, summarized the
writing life in a recent Writer’s Digest
interview. “It really, really is read,
write, and don’t stop.” Write
every day, even if you only eke out a few sentences. It’s true—practice makes
perfect, or at least improves the final product. I’ve heard more than once that
a true writer cannot not write. So
open a blank page in your notebook or on your computer and write. Don’t stifle
your muse a moment longer.
Lastly, don’t give up. By now, you’ve heard how Kathryn
Stockett, author of The Help, spent
years not only writing and editing the book but approaching agents—sixty (60!)
of them. It was agent No. 61 who made the magic happen for her. I don’t know
Ms. Stockett, but I know from reading her book that she’s a good writer. And I
don’t know her motive for writing The
Help, but if it was for fame and fortune, I think she would have dropped
the project at about agent No. 5 and written about vampires.
Believe in yourself, believe in your work. Never stop
growing your gift and sharing it with others. Tenaciously pursue and perfect your
passion.
Coming soon from StoneHouse Ink: Winds of Wyoming — A Kate Neilson Novel
Fresh out of a Pennsylvania penitentiary armed with a marketing degree, Kate Neilson heads to Wyoming anticipating an anonymous new beginning as a guest-ranch employee. A typical twenty-five-year-old woman might be looking to lasso a cowboy, but her only desire is to get on with life on the outside—despite her growing interest in the ranch owner. When she discovers a violent ex-lover followed her west, she fears the past she hoped to hide will imprison her once again.
Debut novelist Rebecca Carey Lyles grew up in Wyoming.
Currently, she and her husband, Steve, live in the neighboring state of Idaho.
She enjoys the creativity and beauty that abound throughout her adopted state
as well as opportunities to hike, camp and cross-country ski in the midst of
God’s grandeur. Check out her website and find links to her blogs at www.beckylyles.com.
