I’ve been an editor for over twenty-five years, and writers ask me all the time how they can become a better writer. It’s simple, and any pro writer or editor will probably say the same thing: read and write.
Like you’re told as a teen when learning a new skill such as playing a musical instrument, you need to practice your skill of creating stories by actually writing. Practice, practice, practice. Write, write, write. Practice every day, and if you need a day off from writing because it does take a lot of energy to create from scratch, then write 6 days a week and take 1 day off to recharge.
When not writing, read other authors’ books in the genre you write in but also in genres you don’t write. Let those authors inspire you with their creativity, stories, and unique ideas. Read how they stretch their limits and discover how they immerse their readers.
So many things happen while you’re reading: 1) You are internalizing how the characters come alive on the screen in front of you. They become flesh and blood to you, and you begin to hear their voices, see their actions, and how they interact with other characters. 2) As you read stories, you empathize with those characters and learn the tropes of that genre. 3) You are entertained, and maybe you might just smile while reading verses stressing about the next page you need to write. 4) If the story has really engrossed you, you might think about these characters and their stories while you’re doing mundane household tasks. This will get kickstart your brain, get it engaged, and help you brainstorm ideas for your own stories.
Please do not mistake these tips for stealing or plagiarizing another author’s work. That is not what is meant here at all. Never ever use another author’s words in your own work. It is not an ethical practice. Instead, use reading as a way to decompress and get inspired by the pros. Using my music analogy, as kids we might listen to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra but it takes years to be able to play like those musicians.
Which books should you read? Anything and everything that interests you. If you’re like most writers, you also have a love for reading. If you’re still discovering reading, check out the following authors and their books.
For action scenes, you might enjoy: R.A. Salvatore’s novels (Drizzt’s stories), Terry Odell’s Blackthorne series, Charles DuPuy’s E.Z. Kelly series, or D.M. Herrmann’s John Henry Chronicles series.
For series family characters in a romance: Johanna Lindsey’s Malory novels or Barbara Raffin’s St. John Sibling series.
For a unique voice in a memoir: Dallas H.’s Shaking the Family Tree, Carolyn Redman’s News From Lake Boobbegone, How Steve Became Ralph by Steve Buechler, or Bruce Kirkpatrick’s Lumberjack Jesus.
For poetry that tells a story: Under the Shade of the Banyan Tree by Simi K. Rao, Poetry and Ponderings by Diamante Lavendar, or Kaleidoscope by Dallas Hembra.
For characters that stretch their limits: Katharine Nohr’s Tri-Angles series, Paul Lisnek’s Assume series, or Gini Athey’s Wolf Creek series.
For historical fiction: Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind, Sara’s Sacrifice by Flo Parfitt, or Callie Trautmiller’s Becoming American.
For law enforcement/prison topics: Try Scorpion Wind by Joseph Mosca or Prison Clown by Richard Keith.
For tips on writing like a pro: On Writing by Stephen King, Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block, or Spider, Spider Spin Me a Web, also by Lawrence Block. (Find authors who speak to you and your own personal needs in their nonfiction voice.)
I’ll keep adding to this list periodically, so keep checking back. You can also ask your local librarian for suggestions in the genre that you want to learn more about reading. Enjoy, and remember practice, practice, practice writing!
Our next book of the week is The Legend of SqueezeboxSqueeze, which we published a few months ago. You can purchase it here in the Written Dreams store, and visit the author and illustrator, Mark Shamlian, at his website.
In this interview, Mark offers his insights on character design and what it’s like to be both an author and illustrator.
Will Cheng Lee ever be the same after he’s taken on a wild, miraculous, earth-shaking adventure by the unlikeliest musical superhero?
Cheng Lee, former inventor, physics professor and one-time pioneer in quantum-mechanics owns an accordion shop in London, England where he works as an instrument repairman. His business is failing, his beloved wife has passed, and he may soon be evicted. Now old and broke, all seems futile for Cheng.
One morning a small package arrives, launching the shopkeeper on a crazy, magical journey. It’s not all easy, though, and Cheng faces some hard decisions. When a constable knocks on the shop’s door, his world turns upside down. He’ll need more than luck to get out of this precarious situation.
Along the way, Cheng, his apprentice, and a group of magical, musical cohorts learn the meaning of loyalty, faith, heroism, and the power of believing. But what will this new perspective do to Cheng Lee?
Mark Shamlian is a freelance illustrator, portrait painter and designer. He resides in a semi-rural area outside of Boston with his wife, Gina. With his debut novel, The Legend of SqueezeboxSqueeze, he combines his love for illustration, music, and writing. When not engaged in the creative process, he lives an unremarkable life, enriched by various hobbies, humans, and animals.
Q: What was it like to illustrate the characters you wrote about? Difficult? Easy?
A: Some of the characters I fleshed out visually before writing the book. A couple of years prior to writing my book, I and two other partners, composer Andrea Green and Paul Green (based in London), worked on developing a children’s character-based platform for music education and entertainment. I created visuals of the characters and helped in the development of their personalities and stories.
I happened to have a dream in the midst of a flu episode. In this dream, some of the characters that we had developed, plus a number of new ones, appeared to me in a fairly vivid adventure. Over the course of the next couple of nights in a semi-awake, fever state, I filled in many of the gaps in the arc of the tale.
The original shopkeeper in our Mr. Rogers-like education program was an old world Italian character. But in my dream, he was an elderly Chinese man with a background in physics. The accordion hero character in my book has superpower abilities. He can fly with the aid of his accordion/jetpack device. Other characters unique to the book are the old sage, Ling, the crotchety landlord/banker, Mr. Banks, the mob enforcer, Big Ernie Smalls, Archie’s parents, Chairman Hou, the courtroom characters, Eunice Tuttle, Shirley Dunnfor, Judge Higginbottom, Thaddeus Swaggert III, Lady Ima Werthaton, Count Avery Schilling, plus a host of other minor figures.
It was fairly easy to illustrate the new characters as they were presented in vivid detail in my dreams and imagination.
Q: Why set SqueezeboxSqueeze in England versus the United States?
A: In our related entertainment project, the music characters resided in a London music store. This was Paul’s idea, I believe (he is English). As my mother was British, I liked the idea and wanted to retain it in the book.
Q: Are you writing any sequels to The Legend of SqueezeboxSqueeze?
A: I have ideas for two sequels outlined. At this point, I would like to see if this tale goes anywhere. I genuinely think the characters should live on and I believe the world needs a musical superhero. Let’s see.
Q: What do you do in your free time when not writing or illustrating?
A: These days, I freelance as a designer/illustrator. Although my education background was fine arts (MFA, painting, Boston University), I spent most of my life in the commercial design field: stores, museums, trade show exhibits, visitor centers, corporate events, displays, etc. It paid the bills. I rarely paint these days except for the interior and exterior of my house. I miss it. Other than that, I enjoy playing music. I’ve been in bands my whole life, mostly as a drummer. I was raised in a musical family and studied piano, trombone, oboe, flute, and percussion.
Recently, I started playing again with some older guys like myself, and may be ready to go public again soon. No more bar gigs, though, which wrap up at 2am—that ship has sailed.
Most of the time, I’m happy to hang out with my wife at our home in central Massachusetts, tending to our gardens, enjoying nature and the company of family and friends. Things are pretty low-key these days, which is fine.
Q: Who is your favorite character and why in The Legend of SqueezeboxSqueeze?
A: It has to be the elderly humble shopkeeper, Cheng Lee. I think he has a great redemption story in SqueezeboxSqueeze. He also reminds me of my late father. My dad was a professional musician (London Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra) who was also a big-hearted, humble man. He reached the height of his profession from the depths of poverty. He never forgot his roots and gave back in the form of free lessons and instrument repair for young musicians of little means. I never heard him utter a negative word about anyone or say anything boastful. With his great talent and the looks of Cary Grant, he could have been excused for being a little arrogant. While in the London Symphony, a famous director at the time begged him to do a screen test. He refused. He just wanted to remain in the background as an orchestral musician. That was his passion.
Q: What advice would you give to other author-illustrators when creating their own books?
A: A lot of it is common sense. First, be very selective regarding which specific passages in a book to illustrate. These often tend to announce themselves, I believe. They may be pivotal points emotionally, unique points of action, or important junctures in plot development. Some scenes are just visually poetic and “ask” to be illustrated, at least in my experience.
Be aware of maintaining a very consistent style in the overall body of illustrations. I’ve found that the tendency is to hurry, which sometimes compromises the final results. By placing many illustrations together in close proximity, it’s easier to spot significant differences in style that need to be reconciled. Maybe these differences are in level of detail, line-weight, background treatment, etc. I would suggest from the outset, to have the “look” of your work be consistent. If you use a digital tablet (like me), remember which Photoshop pens you use from illustration to illustration. Remember percentages of grays in shadows and backgrounds if you are working in black and white. Keep a consistent (and limited) color palette when working in color. This will unify things. If you establish these details from the beginning, you won’t have to go back and rework pictures. At least, not as much.
Also, remember, if you work digitally, to work in appropriate dpi resolution. That is, maintain around 300 dots per inch resolution for the final physical size of the illustration on the page. This is required by printers for a clean output when your book goes to print.
Lastly, if you have repeated images of characters, make sure they are consistent in all views. You may have to draw a character from as many views as possible before you embark on series of illustrations. Try and really nail down who your characters are visually. It’s easier said than done, though. You don’t want the look of a character to evolve over the course of a book, unless it’s a shape-shifter.
Written Dreams’ book of the week is currently Immune by Seth Vorhees, since it is a fantastic read that will be available soon. You can pre-order Immune here, and we expect to release the novel within the next few weeks. Seth answered a few questions about his novel for us below, so if you’re looking for your next sci-fi fix, check it out!
After a deadly virus infects the global population, it throws all of the world’s inhabitants into two classes: the inflicted and the immune. Wyatt Tuck, a member of the immune, finds himself inside a nightmarish onslaught of deadly feuds and riots. Losing his home and family brings him into the paths of other immune—his niece Layla, Easton, and coworker Mitch Burkly—and the opposing inflicted, such as Helen Olsen.
At Camp Belt, an internment camp for the immune, Helen is promoted to Commander. She makes a shocking discovery about the two warring classes and must rise to action. Will she choose to battle the rising forces created from the charred ash of the world’s dead society? Or does she dare hope to unite a darkened world so it can rise again into the light?
Seth Voorhees lives in the majestic Black Hills of South Dakota. He studied at Black Hills State University, with an emphasis in sociology and physiology. He’s worked in the mental health field for ten years, specializing in adolescents with co-occurring disorders. Besides writing, he enjoys fishing, reading, and studying history.
Q: What inspired you to write Immune?
A: The inspiration is actually a complicated answer, since I have never been an author that gets one idea and goes off of it. My stories are typically always a combination of several smaller ideas. In the story, those who are blood type A+ are immune from the virus (A+ is mine, by the way). Years ago, during the rise of the swine flu, fear gripped the country. I went for a walk, and during the walk, I had a thought: What if everyone in town perished from the swine flu but me, and the reason was my blood type? This thought spurred into other ideas and plots, all of which fell to the wayside and did not make it into the book.
Years later, I wanted to write a zombie novel. However, I wanted it to be different than the rest (there are already a hundred different zombie stories, so I wanted it to be original). This was when The Walking Dead was at its hype, and thus it became an inspiration. During the process of writing Immune, I remembered that thought all those years ago about immunity being based on blood type. It’s a combination of these two ideas that created Immune. The majority of my stories follow this process.
Q: Writers use a lot of different types of major events in post-apocalyptic fiction. Why did you choose a virus to destroy the world?
A: Immune started based on the premise of the two groups: those affected and those not. I focused more on segregation and discrimination, and so the destroying the world factor came later as I continued to write the story. I have never been an “outline” person. It’s never clear what’s going to happen next, because I just write and let the story create itself. I find it more enjoyable for me that way, and I don’t believe I’d enjoy writing if I looked at it as a science experiment.
Q: Which character do you relate to the most in Immune?
A: The character I most relate to is Wyatt, since Wyatt is loosely based on me. This is evident by his career in the mental health field, since I have done the same for years. The other similarities are being a recovering alcoholic and living a life on a spiritual plane—this conflict of attempting to live on a spiritual path while immersed in chaos is a common element.
Q: Which authors do you read in your free time?
A: I read every day, and I have dozens. However, there are only a few authors that I have read multiple stories from them because of their writing style. Those are Stephen King, Dan Simmons, Paul Tremblay, Dean Koontz, and Jennifer Mcmahon.
This week’s featured Written Dreams’ novel is The Adventures of Peter Gray by Nathan Hopp, which we published last year. You can purchase it here in our store or here in our e-store.
The Adventures of Peter Gray follows a young orphaned wolf coming of age in the alleys of New York City. Peter’s mischievous, happy-go-lucky attitude gets him in trouble as he divides his time between running from bullies and annoying the local baker. When he meets James Lawton, a human boy, Peter discovers what true friendship can be. Together, Peter, James, and other Newsie friends venture on the city’s cobblestones. Soon Peter learns his Newsie friends are in a tough situation. As he watches how it unfolds for the Newsies, Peter realizes that something is missing in his life. He questions the happiness an adoptive family can bring him. Will he accept the circumstances placed in front of him, or will he keep running from the truth?
A Green Bay native, Nathan Hopp inherited his love for literature from his mother and for sci-fi/fantasy from his father. A graduate of Preble High School’s 2015 class, Nathan’s interest in books as a child grew into writing, eventually leading him to try his hand at short stories, vignettes, and longer pieces. Hopp is an English major at UW-Eau Claire and spends his free time running a book review blog, Reader’s Boulevard.
We had a chance to ask Nathan about his recent release. Enjoy!
Q: The Adventures of Peter Gray’s protagonist, Peter, is an anthropomorphic wolf rather than just an ordinary human. What inspired this choice, or how did you get interested in creating characters like that?
A: Peter Gray did indeed start off as a regular human character at first, but I felt I wanted to give him more of a memorable appearance, and circumstances that made his story unique. I’d always been a fan of anthropomorphism in fiction due to the endless thematic possibilities, and when I pictured him as a wolf interacting with a human boy, I thought it sounded interesting to write out.
Q: Why is the theme of friendship so important to both you and the novel?
A: Growing up introverted, I often felt alone like Peter did during my school years, and took pride in the friendships I did manage to form. To me, you cannot function in this world without someone to talk to or speak to face-to-face, and in this divided, almost hostile world, I felt it was important to highlight that friendships can be so powerful, that they can transcend through prejudice.
Q: Why did you choose New York in the late 1800s as your setting? Were there any other settings you considered?
A: At first, I didn’t know what time period worked best to put Peter’s story in. I was tied between the 1880s and early 1900s, until I remembered the Disney movie “Newsies.” As I researched the event and the year it took place in, I couldn’t stop myself from seeing Peter Gray and Kid Blink working together during such a historic event.
Q: What has been your experience as a new young writer? What challenges have come your way?
A: As a young writer, there’s been amazement, but also quite a few trials, most of which involve marketing. I’ve learned that in order to become a successful writer, you have to push your work out and get readers engaged with what you’re writing. They won’t just magically find your books, so you need to get the word out!
Q: You’ve spoken before about your pride in being an author with autism. How has living with autism changed your experience as an author?
A: I’ve written a blog post about it, but the best way I can summarize it is that writing has helped me become a better conversationalist, and vice-versa. If I wanted to improve dialogue, storytelling and character, I needed to interact with people. And having autism has helped me acknowledge that entertainment is fluid, and everyone has different ways to express themselves.
Q: Do you like to write in a similar setting to this novel? Or else, what is your favorite setting to write in?
A: I have so many settings I’ve written in, some of which are Peter Gray’s fantasy settings, and other times they’re dystopian or futuristic space, but I can’t think of one specific setting that is my favorite. However, I can say that whenever I write a story set in the same universe of one of my works, it feels like returning to a familiar place and meeting old friends you haven’t talked to in a while.
Q: What does your writing routine look like? Do classes impact this routine?
A: Due to my job and classes, I try to focus every chance I have on writing. Sometimes I cram it during breaks or between classes, but having a tight schedule can give me motivation to write. After all, I can edit it later.
Q: Who are your favorite fictional characters?
A: That is a difficult choice. If I had to nitpick, I would have to choose Jay Gatsby from “The Great Gatsby”, Vito Corleone from “The Godfather”, and two comic book favorites: Batman and Deadpool. Explaining why would require paragraphs for each of them, so I won’t go into it now.
The author of this week’s featured book, INNISFREE, is D.M. Herrmann. D.M. Herrmann is a retired soldier, having spent twenty years in the US Army. He has authored three fiction novels under the pseudonym Evan Michael Martin. He lives in Wisconsin.
We had a chance to ask him a few questions about INNISFREE this week–check it out, and remember that INNISFREE is now available for purchase at writtendreams.com! 🙂
Q: What motivated you to write INNISFREE?
A: I’ve always enjoyed post-apocalyptic and dystopian stories, and so I thought it would be fun to write one.
Q: Did you base John Henry off of anyone particular that you know?
A: No one in particular. Like many of my characters, he is a composite.
Q: How similar are John Henry’s military experiences to your own life experiences?
A: Pretty close. We both retired from the Army and moved back to WI. The location is near where I served as an Army recruiter, so the area and culture were a reflection of that.
Q: Have you ever visited a cabin in the woods, and if so, where did you go and what did you do?
A: My uncle owned one for many years in Northern Wisconsin, not far from where this story takes place. We went fishing and just enjoyed the fresh air. It was a rustic cabin in that it had no plumbing, and the cookstove was an old fashioned wood cook stove.
Thanks for sharing! We hope you enjoyed this mini-interview, and that you will also enjoy INNISFREE as well!
We asked Nathan Hopp to give us some feedback on writing book reviews. He started the Reader’s Boulevard Review Blog a few years ago, and has a few thoughts on how to write a fair review. Enjoy!
Everyone likes to be a critic.
It’s a truth as real as the beliefs we carry. As a critic you feel entitled to judge everything in either an analytical or enjoyable outlook. You’re giving your opinion on someone’s work, which has changed and evolved over time. In this digital age of social media, blockbuster films, and the Internet, more people prefer visual entertainment over the written word. Therefore, it can often be a challenge to review a random book in an honest, constructive manner. Personally, I like to judge a novel on its most basic objective that anyone can agree on: if it can entertain while leaving an impact.
Now this single objective isn’t black and white. There are dozens of books that can inspire without having good plot, characters, etc. or even vice-versa. When reviewing a book, I dislike judging it with the mindset that it is a masterpiece. No novel is perfect, and no novel will appeal to every single person on the planet, so I keep an open mind on the targeted demographics it’s likely aimed for. If you’re usually a contemporary reader but not a fan of historical fiction, don’t negatively judge it solely because you aren’t fond of the genre. Everyone has different tastes, so a reviewer shouldn’t hate something solely because it isn’t a genre or type of story catered for them.
For me, I can read almost anything, whether it be contemporary, young adult, fantasy, historical, or hardcore sci-fi. However, my favorite kind of novel is the one that has a plot where you don’t know where it’s going. It has memorable characters with personalities that keep you engaged (especially if the story’s tied to their struggles), a setting fascinating enough to explore if they existed, writing crisp and fluent enough to make you feel like you’re experiencing what’s happening on the pages, and a villain you love to hate or even sympathize with.
Like I said though, this can go either way in books. One could have a fantastic plot and bland characters while another might have an incredibly complex villain and a weak setting, maybe even vice-versa with any of these varieties. It’s all subjective in the eyes of the reviewer, and it’s not a bad thing to hold in regard. Listen to others’ opinions, whether they be the reader, the critic, or even the author themselves. In the same way anyone can be a critic, so can anyone have the privilege to decide what makes a book entertaining.
About the Author:
Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1996, Nathan Hopp grew up the oldest of three rambunctious brothers. As a child, he inherited his love for literature from his mother and his love for science fiction/fantasy from his father. He has been a dedicated bookworm since grade school, reading through corny romance novels one hour to an entire Young Adult series in less than a week. In high school, Nathan’s interest grew into writing, eventually leading him to haikus, short stories, vignettes, and novels. Currently attending UW-Eau Claire as an English major with an emphasis in Creative Writing, Nathan spends most of his free time as an avid participant in the furry fandom, surviving one semester at a time, and running a review blog. Learn more about Nathan and his book on social media: Facebook.com/NathanWHopp or at Twitter.com/HoppNate.
Thank you to D.A. Kori Prier, author of Colorado Drift for writing this blog. In a conversation between two writers who are discussing Writer’s Block, one writer realizes how they have to change. One writer is a “plotter” (someone who outlines and organizes their manuscript before/during the writing process) and the other writer is a “pantser” (someone who writes by the seat of their pants). Both paths work, but sometimes, you need to change your process for a certain manuscript in order to get past a block.
Wow, so you’re a writer huh?
Yep.
I’m writing too, but I’m in a funk.
Yeah, why’s that?
I’m stuck. I’ve got Writer’s Block. So, you ever get blocked?
Nope.
Really, how do you keep from losing your train of thought?
I prepare.
What do you mean? How do you prepare?
Well, first I do a shovel full of research on my topic.
So, you research everything?
Not quite everything, but most of the story’s plot.
Then what do you do?
Well, I organize the research into an order that formulates into my plot.
Really?
Yep. Then I write an outline of the story with all the parts (research and ideas) flowing through my diagram. This way, I know where my story is going and what I have to write next. I can always adjust the outline if something doesn’t fit or if I come up with a brilliant idea.
And this works for you?
Yep.
Would it work for me, too?
Yep, but you have to be disciplined and do the research, organize your thoughts, and outline your plot.
It sounds like a lot of work.
It is, but it keeps my creative processes juiced and always flowing. Besides, how long have you had your Writer’s Block?
A couple of weeks now.
Well, in two weeks you could have done most or all of your research and developed an outline.
I see your point. I think I need to start doing a better job than just writing from the top of my head.
Good for you.
We all get stuck once in a while. Here are a few things you can try to help yourself get out of Writer’s Block.
D.A. Kori Prier was born and grew up in the two-mile high town of Leadville, Colorado. Now retired, he lives in Northern California with his wife, Snuz. Colorado Drift is the first book of a new series. Mr. Prier’s extensive knowledge of the mountainous geography lends credibility to the story and makes the adventure feel real and possible. Kori and Snuz enjoy traveling with their three four-legged girls: Becca, Tessa, and Bella.
Colorado Drift takes the reader on a snowy, modernistic science fiction adventure inside a Rocky Mountain avalanche.
If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends who may find it useful. Thank you!
Sometimes we need to look back at where we’ve been to move forward in life and in our hearts. Here’s an excerpt from Carolyn Redman’s News from Lake Boobbegone: A Breast Cancer Memoir from the Heart which became a #1 New Release in April 2017.
So, these are the top ten things I’ve had to let go of this year: (1) my left breast, (2) 15 lymph nodes, (3) all of my hair, (4) my immune system, (5) my idea of beauty, (6) the illusion of control, (7) cocktails, (8) a plethora of tears, (9) a few extra pounds, and (10) wondering why me.
My last radiation treatment, or as I liked to euphemistically call it, “light therapy,” took place on November 10th. But even weeks after the treatment ended, radiation had left me looking and feeling like I’d been microwaved on high for far too long. Next to the mother of all sunburns, the emotional fatigue of daily treatments was probably the worst of it. I had been living “cancerously” for nearly a year now, and it had taken all of my resolve. Unlike chemo, I had to face radiation therapy on my own. No one could go with me, hold my hand, or sit by my side and distract me from these treatments. I had to dig deep and find even more strength I wasn’t sure I could muster.
The “mean wells,” my term for people who say dumb stuff unintentionally, keep reminding me how great things will be once I get back to normal. I don’t see how that is even remotely possible. I am missing a body part, have been infused with drugs potent enough to damage my heart and make my hair fall out, have been microwaved on high for 30 consecutive days, and as an added bonus have been chemically catapulted into menopause. And those are just the physical ramifications. Mix in equal parts anxiety, fear, and sadness, and the cancer train I’ve been on misses all the normal stops. What a disappointment and missed opportunity it would be if, after all of this, I turned out to be the exact same person I was before I was diagnosed.
I can’t quite go as far as to say that I am grateful I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but I can say that I am grateful for all of the realizations that have resulted because of it. I was given the opportunity to tap into a reservoir of courage I didn’t even know existed. I witnessed people at their best as they surrounded me with their clinical, surgical, and scientific expertise, genuine concern, humor, compassion, energy, and love. The word friendship took on a whole new meaning with each chemo sitter who took time out of her busy life to sit with me for hours on end. And I found out that my marriage was indeed for better or worse.
This Thanksgiving would be like no other because I finally understood the importance and power of gratitude. I had gained far more than I had lost this year and for that I was extremely grateful.
News from Lake Boobbegone by Carolyn Redman, copyright (C) 2017 by Carolyn Redman.
A few tips from Bruce Kirkpatrick on being a member of a writer’s group.
I’m a member of four groups and each works differently. Here’s what I’ve learned about writer’s groups and if you are a writer, why you may want be a part of one.
Both new and seasoned writers are often members of writer’s groups. No hard and fast rules exist about how they work, but a few tips to get the most out of them might help.
Groups can meet in person or online. They can require that members trade “chapters” or work beforehand—or not. They can read aloud or simply offer critique in the written form. They can be full of published authors or those just getting started.
That said, in my experience, writing groups have little knowledge about getting published. They are all about the writing. My groups don’t include many published authors, so the how-to-write-for-publication is a glaring hole. Most writers will do better reading the books about writing—Stein, Gorkin, Browne & King, George—than trusting inexperienced writers.
But you have to start someplace and a writing group will force you to write, edit, and receive feedback. If you’re a beginning writer or want to write for your own pleasure, it’s a good place to start.
Bruce Kirkpatrick is the author of Hard Left and Lumberjack Jesus. He is currently working on several different writing projects. To learn more about Bruce and his books, you can visit: http://www.bkirkpatrick.com/about/
At Written Dreams, we believe writers who take part of writer’s groups can be very successful. We will often suggest joining the local chapters to new writers because we believe in the benefits. Here in Green Bay, WI, we’re lucky to have a few groups that meet locally. If you’re looking for a writer’s group in your area, here’s a few associations you can start your search with, depending on the genre you write in: RWA-Romance Writers of America, HWA-Horror Writers of America, SFWA-Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America, CWG-The Children’s Writer’s Guild, NAMW-National Association of Memoir Writers, and many more!
Written Dreams Publishing is a small, independent press publisher of fiction and nonfiction books based out of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
