CONTEST BOOKS AUTHOR BIO
NEWS CHARACTER QUIZ MORE INFORMATION
Linda's BLOG HOME PAGE  

         Writing Advice from Linda Joy Singleton

 

      FROM KID WRITER TO PUBLISHED AUTHOR

         10 Tips for Aspiring Authors

 

A young girl recently asked me if 13 was too young to start writing. Of course not! There is no magic age to begin a writing career.  If the desire is there, you’re old enough (and young enough) to start writing.

 

When I was 13, I wrote constantly.  I submitted stories to teen magazines. Nothing sold for many years, but it was a great learning experience. During school, I would fill notebooks with my writings and read it to my friends. I still have a lot of these notebooks.

 

Here are ten writing tips especially for young writers:

 

1. Write for fun. Amuse yourself with wild scenes and outrageous characters.  If you're having fun, so will your readers.

 

2. Submit your work AFTER you've researched publishers from publications like Writers Market or Children's Writer & Illustrator's Market.  It's important to follow submission rules.

 

3. Expect some rejections.  Rejection is part of the writing experience.  I am actually proud of my rejections because they show that I worked hard, and each time I try I'm closer to succeeding.  I have a huge box full of rejection letters.  I also have some great letters from editors who contracted my work.

 

4. Volunteer to do any newsletters for groups you're involved in (I did our school bulletin and wrote articles about a dance group I belonged to).  I got a byline and it was great writing experience. I still contribute articles for free to groups I belong to.

 

5. Find a critique partner or critique group.  I've exchanged critiques online and in person at a weekly group.  Listen to the feedback, but only take advise that feels right for your work.  Never argue when someone gives you a critique.  If you don't agree, thank them and think over the comments.  I've worked with editors who have given me advice that I hated at first, then after I calmed down I realized their suggestions were brilliant.

 

6. Read. Read. Read.  Not just the books you love, but other books, too, to study different styles.  Pay attention to dialogue, transitions, characterization, pacing and any emotions you feel while reading.  The more you read and absorb, the more you'll develop your own writing voice. 

 

7. Rewriting makes good writing GREAT writing. Rewriting develops skill and craft.

  As an example, take a sentence from THE SEER #3 WITCH BALL which I'm currently writing. This is a scene where Sabine goes to a run-down apartment building looking for a mysterious kid from school. She's nervous and unsure what she'll find when she knocks on the door.

  It started off: A woman opened the door.

  But that didn't say enough.  I wanted to show Sabine's reaction to the woman plus add a bit of description. 

  So I rewrote: I was relieved when a woman opened the door. She looked tired and wore her hair tied back in a scarf.

  Still not enough details to show the woman's reaction to Sabine.

  So I added: She gave me a dismissive look, like she wanted to slam the door.

  In yet another rewrite, I added even more details to give a sense of the characters and surroundings.

  First version: A woman opened the door.

  Current version: I was relieved when a middle-aged woman opened the door.  She had tired lines etched in her skin and her hair was tied back in a scarf. She gave me a dismissive look, probably figuring I was selling something. Her hand was poised on the knob like she was ready to slam the door in my face.

 

 Not too many details, but enough to set this scene.  Of course this whole paragraph may still change after more rewrites. 

 

7. Make writing part of your regular routine.  A page or two daily adds up fast.  In three months you'll have over 100 pages. I write most mornings and it takes 3-6 months to finish a book.  Sometimes it feels like I'll never finish, but as long as I keep going forward, I always finish the book. And it's a GREAT feeling to write: The End.

 

8. When writing books, it's common to get muddled in the middle.  Some people call this writer's block.  The trick here is to tell yourself it's okay to write garbage, that the book doesn't have to be perfect. Just keep on writing and fix problems later in the rewriting stage. And often when you look back, what seemed like garbage at the time turns out to be really great writing.

 

9. Don't believe anyone who says anything negative about your writing. You need to believe in yourself and never forget that writing is supposed to be FUN.

 

10. Visualize what you want to achieve and it may just happen. Work hard, love what you do, and believe that dreams can come true.  They did for me.

-----------------------------------------------------------....