Well, I think my dedication, skill set, hours of research spent, and oh, say about, an entire lifetime dedicated to either reading or writing literature up to this point are credential enough. But, obviously, if you're here for tips, you honestly don't care about that.
Whatever you do, don't revise before the first draft is completed.
Once you start making changes to the story before you're done, it's game over, friend. I know it's hard, but once change leads to even more small changes and soon you'll be completely lost and frustrated. Trust me, been there, done that, total regret. Just don't do it. You'll thank yourself. Accept this this version is just a draft and can all be changed around in the next-go-round.
It's okay to change your mind.
Sometimes we have an idea that seems great when we first come up with it, but as time goes on you just
But it's always been part of the plan and so you feel like it's not okay to remove? Well, I'm gonna be totally honest with you: remove the fuck out of it. If you aren't happy with it, your readers certainly won't be. Besides, as a writer, it's your job to be as satisfied with your work as possible. As someone who was completely against changing anything from a name to character death, let me just say how freeing it is to know that it's okay to change it. Even if it's a major plot point, as long as it changes the story for the better, go right on ahead!
Write, Write, Write!
I would say it goes without saying, but hell, I'm guilty of this one myself. You need to set aside some time to write. Give yourself some sort of ultimatum or goal. Just write something. If you say you don't have the time, make it. Wake up earlier, stay up later, spend your break or lunch writing, even if it's only thirty words. If you don't write, your failing yourself as a writer. Feeling too down or too frustrated to continue your current work? Write yourself out exactly what that feeling is like. (Bonus: not only will this work as a therapy to accept and push past the feeling quite often, it leaves you with a perfect emotional reference for that next scene in your work!)
Just whatever you do, write something, preferably everyday, but more realistically four times a week.
You Can't Write Without Reading
Reading and writing go hand-in-hand. I've never met a writer who hates reading, although I fear they're out there. Again, take it from my example: growing up all throughout elementary school and sixth grade, my absolute favorite thing to do was read. I read so many books, the school librarians knew me personally and I was getting something new at least once a week for a pretty long time. As I got older, I found less and less time to read, or began to change out books for manga, then fan fiction, then only wrote my own fan fiction and read nothing, then just some political and scientific articles. It's not that I had stopped reading entirely--I just happened to read likely no more than seven books a year, including those for school. (I'm ashamed to admit this year hasn't gone too spectacularly in that respect either; I'm currently only at 6 books [mainly because I also re-read a few books and didn't count those], but I'm going to try to cram in a few more books before December 31st.)
With stopping reading, I slowly began to stop writing. It wasn't that I wasn't getting any less creative, well, in a way I was. I sat around waiting for inspiration for a new project. Because my mind wasn't filled with creative influences, that wasn't coming as naturally as before. But once I started reading again (quick recommendation--The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken is fan-freaking-tastic), I started to think about my novels again. Since that little burst of inspiration? I picked back up my first YA novel idea and just earlier today reached over 19,000 words after about ten months (on and off, I'd say four months or so were lull, with little to no activity).
Research Your Ass Off
Sad fact, no one knows everything. Wonderful fact: the Internet is full of people who do know what you don't. No one likes being wrong, so research anything you're unsure about. Or hell, even if you are sure do it anyway. It's not going to hurt you. I've spent more time researching some stories than actually writing them, and it does pay off in the end. Some things are best to try out for yourself, such as firing a gun (at a range, please. Also, on my list to do, once I get my license and my mother accepts the fact that I don't necessarily need her permission to do so), but other things like drowning, or PTSD are best not experienced first-hand.
It's Okay to Quit
Okay, well, this one isn't exactly what it seems. It's okay to quit a story that isn't working out. Some ideas aren't meant to take off, but we can still learn from them. I have a few stories that no one will ever see simply for the fact that I can't write them, or they aren't that great of an idea. What's not okay is quitting writing because things aren't working out. You got rejected? I'm gonna let you in on a secret. Are you listening? Ready? Yeah? Okay. ALMOST EVERYONE IS. Everyone from John Green to J.K. Rowling to Stephen King has been rejected at one point or another. Fix it, try again, hell, even scrap it if need be. Just keep writing something.
The Gospel Truth...
You're going to have times where you hate yourself, you hate your work, you might even hate your life. Such is the life of the author. You must suffer for your art and yadda yadda yadda. In the words of Journey, don't stop believin'. If no on will publish you, self-publish, establish a social media platform, sell at a farmer's market, whatever, just get your work out there. Don't give up. Never give up on your passions. Ever. Ever.
So, young padawan, my best advice? In the words of the great master Shia Labeouf....
Have a wonderful day and dream those dreams,
K.L. Palmer
