Every beginning is challenging, right! That’s why today we will try to outline the best tips for all the ‘new’ aspiring authors out there, that are planning to take their first step into writing.
There is a lot of information, tips, and articles about where to start from, but of course, not all of them would be applicable to you. However, let’s go through some of the tips we think would serve you best in the very beginning.
And remember – this is advice, not a rule.
To begin with - simply start writing! Create a habit of writing more frequently, even daily. Writing is a process that requires time and practice. We are not saying it would be easy, but writing daily will help you improve your style, grammar, spelling, and most important – you will learn how to easily overcome those days of blockage when the inspiration is not with you. So, you don’t have to wait until you think you are good enough to become a writer. It's enough just to write what you want to write, something you are passionate about and you need to share with the world.
Open your mind and be creative! This might sound simple, but actually, it is not. As a new author, who is just at the beginning of writing, you have to build the habit of having an open and creative mind. You have to open your mind and be willing to experiment if you don’t want to miss a great idea for example. This is the way for you to get inspiration and to find new ideas. Once you are comfortable with that you will easily look around and find great ideas. Your mind would be trained to notice and develop every little sign of magical inspiration around you.
Remember to edit your writing carefully. Good writing is a product of deliberately editing and revising your drafts. Editing your drafts would help you identify your bad habits and your mistakes. You can also ask close friends, for example, to read and share their thoughts on your story. Don’t be scared of other people’s opinions and advice, we are all different and have a different point of view, therefore be ready to face other people’s convictions. Eventually, getting critique is not a bad thing!
A good thing to mention is reading. You’d better spend enough time reading – this is for you to pick up what is trendy and what is valuable on the market. Think about why you like a certain book, point few things that you appreciate, and a few things that you would like to avoid in your future book.
The next thing to bear in mind is to not compare your writing to published authors. This might be dangerous because this might stop you from writing your own genuine story. You can always check on other famous writers, but remember to stick to your own story, because the world needs exactly YOU.
Invest in yourself and in your education – you should invest time in your education, enroll in a writing class, set time aside to read books, blogs, etc. You can create a writing group, where you can share different ideas with other aspiring authors.
And last, but not least, this is that you have to accept from the very beginning - not everyone will like your book. And that is absolutely fine, your aim as an aspiring author is to be unique. It does hurt, and it feels like it is a real pain when we realize that someone doesn’t really like our work, but that is part of the process. Without losing more time, you should realize that your writing is not meant for everyone and accept that.
Also, as long as you stay positive, you can find some good constructive criticism in the reviews and learn from them.
Eventually, we all have to find out what works best for us. There are some rules for what is acceptable and what is not, however you can break the rules and find your balance and your own method of writing.