Okay, there is no secret, no
Golden Ticket that will lead you as an aspiring author to fame, fortune and the
most awesome books on the planet. That
you’ve written, I mean.
Other authors, agents and editors
alike may spew a few tidbits of advice in this category, but when it comes down
to it, they all say the same thing.
Write a great story.
Sounds trite. Sounds rehearsed. Sometimes it even sounds
like they make it up so they don’t have to tell you the real secret to getting
published and be able to live off of your writing habit.
After hearing it from dozens of
agents, as many editors and more authors than I could kill off in an end of the
world story, I’m thinking it’s true.
Write a great story. They may also say write the story only you
can write. These comments often get
brushed aside in a mad frenzy to uncover that one golden nugget of publishing
info that will propel you into book signing stardom.
I’m not sure what we’re all
expecting. Maybe something like, “I need
all of my main characters to be able to do origami, parasail and sew pillows,”
or, “Every plot should have a three legged dog in it.” That’s what I secretly
hope for, but after hearing the “write a great story” yet again this week at Writing
and Illustrating for Your Readers (WIFYR), I’m going to have to acquiesce.
Writing a great story is a long, arduous,
grueling process that can take years.
Which, by the way, is not the timeframe I want to see on any
project. Years? I don’t have years! Like a Blizzard from Dairy Queen, I want it
five minutes ago! Have it ready for me
when I drive up and I might give you a
tip.
I will go into more detail of the
awesomeness of WIFYR in subsequent blog posts.
For now, let me tell you that I am embarking on a new novel, and I plan
to use everything I’ve ever learned about writing and storytelling and character
development and pacing and outlining and the find and replace command to make it
the best story it can possibly be. That
is my plan. Wish me luck.
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