by Brittany Lavin
I was six years old when I first fell in love. The object of my affection? Words. I remember sitting on the couch with my mom as she taught me to read and suddenly I was swept away in story after story. I would devour books, losing myself in new worlds of adventure and fantasy. These worlds seemed so much greater than the one I lived in and soon enough I wanted to create my own. Writing came naturally after that. I remember proudly presenting my family with my first story “The Ballet Recital”- about a little girl who is given the lead in “The Nutcracker” only to have the nutcracker doll stolen on the night of the performance. I illustrated it and even made the cover out of construction paper and numerous amounts of stickers. I still have it to this day.
So here is my advice for writers- young or old.
- Read. A LOT. As time goes on the words of your favorite authors will continue to move you and teach you things.
- Write every day. Whether you’re just jotting down thoughts in a journal or completing your manuscript, get the words out of your head and down on paper. Carry a notebook around with you at all times because you never know when inspiration will strike.
- Never lose your passion. Think back to the first book you read or the first story you completed and remember how that felt. Remember the thrill and the enthusiasm you had as child and hold onto it. It will show in your work.
- Write what you know. Everyone has a story and the easiest way to find yours is to take from your own life experiences.
-Believe in yourself and in your work. If you don’t believe your words, no one will.
Check out these links for advice from bestselling authors!
Perhaps the most important thing I've learned about being a writer is to never give up on getting your work out there. I've been working on my first book for a long time and when I finally worked up the courage to send it out to literary agents, I was met with a ton of rejection. I expected this, but it doesn't make it any easier. The most frustrating thing was that they didn't offer me any feedback, they just said "no."
Now, I have discovered a world where I never hear the word "no." Now I work in the self-publishing industry and suddenly I'm hearing "yes" all around me. Not only am I learning first hand what goes on "behind the scenes" of the industry, I'm planning on self-publishing my book very soon.
By self-publishing my book I am taking control. I can control my book's content, it's appearance, and ultimately it's success.
So no matter how you decide to get your work out there- just remember to take control and don't take "no" for an answer.
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Photo courtesy of Mokra.