Finally, we come to the last part of the advice I give to new writers and this too is one that gets generally ignored to their own detriment.
The simple fact is, a book you never finish is a book that you failed at. You can edit anything but an empty page. This is a problem for a lot of people and a lesson that most need to take to heart. So never give up, never surrender and get your ass back to work.
It you talk to a lot of authors, you’ll know that the biggest problem most have is right at the end of the book. More specifically, at least in my experience, is just before the end of the second act. It’s where a lot of people get into trouble.
I will admit, I’ve had the same problem, especially in the past when I didn’t heavily outline like I do today, but now, it’s a whole lot better. I don’t slow down at the end, I accelerate. Now, I sprint to the ending.
My third piece of advice is the one that most people seem to have the biggest problem with. That is that the world isn’t fair, life may not be what you want, and you have to grow up and deal with it. That’s not cruel, that’s just truth and truth is really all that matters.
So let’s go take a look at the realities of writing life and why most people who try, they fail. That’s just how it is. Deal with it.
This is a question that comes up a lot in writing circles so I thought I’d answer it.
A lot of people say that the very thought of Covid stopped their writing in their tracks due to anxiety or whatever. They were afraid they might get sick, or afraid that their friends and family might die and that screwed with their jive. That never happened to me. My problem was something entirely different and entirely my own fault.
Part two of my advice should be obvious, but you can’t really be a writer unless you write. Yet this seems to be a major problem for a lot of amateur writers and they can’t seem to just sit down and do what they claim they want to do.
That strikes me as odd, sorry. If this is what you want to do, then why do you refuse to do it? Let’s explore that.
This is something that, surprising, is met with a lot of apprehension by a lot of prospective authors. Time and again, I have seen people argue that they don’t like to read, they shouldn’t have to read and they absolutely reject reading for bizarre rationalizations that make no sense whatsoever under observation. The simple fact is, if you are not a voracious reader, you will never be a good writer. You learn to write primarily by reading. If you’re not willing to do that, give up now.
