Writing Tips For Novice Authors

If you are reading this article then you probably have asked yourself at several point in your life, "Do I have what it takes to become an author?"

I believe that eminent authors, those who really write and finish that novel, or book of poetry, or even as that book of short stories, and see it all the way to publication, have certain characteristics.

Characteristics of Authors

1. They like to sit for hours in front of a computer screen (or with pen and paper), writing (writing) away.

2. They think simply about their book, even as once they're not writing.

3. They are driven to finish their book.

4. They are driven to proofread, edit and revise their finished book until it is the better it can be.

5. They are driven to publish their book.

6. Once they publish the 1st book, they are already working on the next one.

If you answered yes to anyone of the above, then you have a nice chance of attaining your dreams of becoming an author. Don't listen to those folk who say it's a competitive market out there. Don't listen to those folk who say they've written five books and haven't had one publicised yet. And don't listen to those folk who send you back your manuscripts! Listen to yourself. Listen to that inner voice, the one that is whispering now. But wait until you get started. Once your book is written and published, that inner voice wish be roaring! And the whole earth wish hear simply about it.

I know, I know. I tend to be the optimist. But we have so many a pessimists in the book business, we sure need several more optimists around!

For you, the novice writer who would-be like to start writing that 1st book, the better way to begin is to start writing. Yes, simply sit down and do it. Finish the different activities, the television, the reading, the shopping, the chatting on the telephone, and find the time to devote at least one hour a day to writing.

What’s one hour a day in the scheme of things? It comes and goes like this, poof! What do you have to show after an hour of television? A lazy yawn? If that same hour were spent on writing, then there would-be be a product in your hands, thing that wish be shared, hopefully, one day with others.

So, go ahead, shut the door to the rest of the earth for one hour (or more) and do yourself comfortable in front of the computer screen (or pen and paper). Let’s take the 1st step to becoming an author.

How To Begin

Foundation

Just like a construction institution which builds a foundation to a home, you as well need to prepare a foundation for your career in writing. Don't skip this step, it's important.

Your "foundation" wish consist of basic writing skills. Remember those English courses you took in high school and college? If you don't remember thing from those courses, then it wouldn't be a bad idea if you found your old English textbooks, dusted them off a bit, and looked through their pages to refresh your memory.

If you haven't taken any courses in creative writing, you power consider language up for one. Check with your local community college. They often offer weekend and evening classes, and sometimes even as online classes. If you're on a budget, then visit the public library and sign out books relevant to writing.

In addition, it would-be be really useful to join a writing group (online or in your local area) that critiques your activity and gives you the possibility to critique also. The group provides extraordinary keep and an avenue to sharpen your skills as you gain experience in writing, as well as exposure to different people's writing. For example, Writing.com is a nice example of an online resource that provides many a opportunities to share your writing, and get your activity rated and reviewed. If you want to join a critique or review group, it offers that also.

The second step to becoming an author, is to have the right tools.

Tools Necessary

Besides a comfortable chair, plenty of lighting, and a quiet room, you wish need a computer with a word process program (e.g., Microsoft Word), a printer, and plenty of paper.

Why a computer? 1st of all, publishers typically wish request a copy of your files sent to them on a floppy disk. Much importantly, working with a word process program wish aid you in many a route towards becoming a publicised author. It wish provide the possibility to save your activity as a Word file, without having to use up tons of paper (as with a typewriter). This greatly aids you in keeping your activity organized. It as well gives you the flexibility to edit and re-edit large sections of your activity quickly by allowing you to utilize the copy and paste functions.

Other advantages of mistreatment a computer word process program is that it provides spell check capabilities, and as well helps you count the number of words per page. In addition, once you want to spice up your vocabulary (For example, if you like to use the word "walk" often, and are deed tired of that word), place your indicator on the word "walk", hit shift F7. It wish give you a list of synonyms you can choose from - like stroll, amble, etc.).

The time saved by mistreatment a computer is really valuable. It gives you more time accessible to write! Of course, if you don’t have the above materials, don’t let that finish you from writing that book! Mistreatment a pen and paper is dead fine. Books were written with these two basic tools for centuries.

Let’s assume you are mistreatment a computer and a Word process software. 1st of all, before you begin writing, form a directory that you can add all your chapters to. Mayhap you cognize the title of your book already. Fine, then form a directory mistreatment the name of the title. After you finish writing that 1st chapter (oh joy!), simply save it as Chapter 1 under the subdirectory. If you are writing a book of poetry, then you power want to save each literary composition as a separate file.

When I write my chapters for my novel, I format them in double space mode, with a Times New Roman 11 font. All the margins are at least one inch. This way it wish be available for manuscript submission.

Try not to add your page amount until the really last revision. Page amount perpetually change once you’re revising, so wait until the end.

Finally, another reason for having a computer is for Cyberspace access. As a writer, you wish have opportunities to submit your fiction online, such as http://www.Writing.com, or even as your articles online for e-zines, such as http://www.articlecity.com. Any chance you can get to write online, do it. As long as it doesn't take too more time away from your book. It's as well a free way of promoting yourself before the book is even as published.

So you need to balance your time in writing that book, honing your writing skills, submitting your activity on the way for others to critique, and promoting yourself. Can you do it? Of course you can!

The third step to becoming an author is:

What to Write

If you are planning to write a novel, it would-be help to cognize what general category your book is going to be in. Wish it be in the romance, mystery, or science fiction category? If you don’t know, take several time and think simply about it. See several books in those genres. Which books seem to attract you the most? It’s extremely likely that you’ll be writing in the category that you like to read. My preference is romance because I see those types of books the most. Once you decide the category, then you are closer to writing that novel!

For poetry, you power start by writing a literary composition and submitting it to a poetry journal, or a poetry contest. Gain exposure for your poetry. Join a critique group so you can sharpen your poetry skills. A chapbook commonly consists of simply about 25-35 poems. For a poetry book, you'll need at least 60 pages of poetry, if not more.

Types of Novelists

I have found over time, that there are two types of novelists. The 1st type is the writer who prefers drawing up a proposal or plan of what they wish write about. The second type prefers to write some comes into their mind at that moment.

You decide which writer you wish be.

Type 1 Author

They begin by describing the characters, their names, personalities, and sometimes their motives. Then they decide once and wherever the setting wish take place. Once wish it take place? If it takes place before the 1900’s, then it wish be considered historical. Also, wish the setting be in the country, in a city (which city?), in a home (whose house), on a cruise ship? That necessarily to be defined also.

Once those decisions are made, they write brief sketches of each chapter. It could be a page or two long. Once all this is done, then the real writing begins. If this know-how works for you, then feel free to use it. It may take several time, but you wish become more confident simply about what you’ll write once you go through this initial process.

Type 2 Author

What if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to spend all that time writing proposals and character sketches? What if you’re like me, who prefers to simply write some comes into your head? Then do it! Sit down and start writing. Write anything.

As the story develops, thing extraordinary begins production in your mind. Thing called creativity. I’ve caught myself hours after I finished writing a chapter, and I’ll be preparing dinner, or walking somewhere, and a scene from my novel wish begin to unfold. It’s called creative problem solving. My mind is working to solve the problem that the writing presents it, even as tho' I’m not actively writing. Once I get those urges, I at once finish what I’m doing and jot down my thoughts. It’s helped me many a times, particularly once everything clicks together.

How Long Wish It Take?

It took me all but two years to write and find a publisher for my 1st novel, Lipsi’s Daughter. For different people, it may take longer or shorter, depending on the figure of time they allow for writing and how many a pages they are writing. I cognize of authors that took six, seven, up to twelve years to write their 1st book. I as well cognize of a famed author who writes two novels a year!

So unless you begin writing that 1st page of your book, you'll ne'er cognize how long it'll take you to write it. Go ahead, do that 1st step, and nice luck!

About The Author

Patty Apostolides is an author and poet. She has written several articles as well as publicised the novel "Lipsi's Daughter." Much information can be found on her website: http://www.geocities.com/10500bc/index.html
Liendou@Writing.com

This article was denote on Gregorian calendar month 27, 2004