Many people have asked me, "how did you write a novel?" "where did you start?" or "how do you start?".
Most times these questions come from a person who has always long to put creative ideas and stories to the page but were never quite sure where to start.
Pondering these pesky questions, I inquired of some of my most talented pen-toters to give their honest to goodness words of advice to would-be, could-be or should-be writers.
I begin with long time fellow writer, Willie Holmes, educator, writer and theatrical founder who simply replies:
"Writers write when they are tired and sleepy. Writers write when they are depressed or happy. Writers write in the midst of a tragic or inspiring moment. Writers write when the hypocrisy of love breaks down their immune system. Writers write when they don' t want to write. For those who want to write, just write."C. Stephen Foster, cherished friend, actor, playwright, filmmaker and author of Awakening the Writer Within states,
"My advice to writers...don't worry if you are good or bad just WRITE! write, write write. write what you know, write what you don't know, write for fun, write for work, write, write, write.
While you are amassing a body of work with your daily writing, begin to send it out! Don't worry about it being perfect or what the "market" is or who will buy it, just send it out! OUT! OUT!
Don't wait for a response from agents, publishers or publications or even your friends, just send the work out. This is the biggest block for a lot of writers...they want to create in a cave, but you can't. The work must be out in the world. It's like fishing, you have to have your line in the water if you are going to catch a fish! Cast your line out there with good faith and you'll land an agent, publisher, producer.....IF you keep putting your work out there.
Most writers will send it to 2 or 3 people and then WAIT. WRONG! Don't wait! Send your work out as much as humanly possible. Thomas Edison tried 10,000 attempts until he discovered the light bulb, why do we writers stop at 10 rejection letters? Hmmmm. "Next!" is my rebel call.
But always, always WRITE, WRITE, WRITE! amass those pages and while you write think OUT, OUT, OUT! write letters, send emails, write blogs......I hope I'm clear that my advice to writers is simple: WRITE!"P.Nettie Nelson, full-figured romance author and screenwriter believes that:
"We know whether or not we are to write. If this is your calling and you are running from it. STOP. If you are writing simply because you want to get rich quick, get into hedge funds or something. Writing is a passion, a love and a longing. Writers are passionate about their words, their stories and their characters. We love writing sometimes it seems more than the one we are in love with. We long to write when we cannot, it is like an addiction to words, they must pour from us...an unending ebb and flow of gifting. Write if that is who you are. You will know. It will come."
Bretton B. Holmes, entreprenuer by day, phenomenal playwright by night responds earnestly:
"Good question. I'd have to say that the best preliminary experience for writing is digging ditches. Manual labor and sweat is what it is all about. That and going somewhere you've never been before. If what you're writing doesn't make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, then you aren't digging and you need to sweat some more. Also, practice being in the moment. It is a good idea to practice this by going outside somewhere or sitting in a coffee shop and writing down as much as you possibly can about the entirety of the environment. After a while, your subconscious will retain this information that much more effectively and you will be able to then cull only what is absolutely necessary to convey the idea or emotion or scene. If you cannot write in the midst of screaming wives and children, neighborly disputes, when driving, when sleeping, when brushing your teeth, after getting fired from your job, in the midst of no job, in the midst of worrying about how to pay your rent, your car note, etc. then you should find some other endeavor in which to use your time. If I had a nickel for all the supposed authors who were either thinking about writing a book or were merely talking about writing one, I'd have a ton of nickels at my disposal. The real writers are writing and not talking about it, so with that, I will sign off and get back to it."
Finally, my internet pal, Carolina, for over five years makes a great point:
"I tell my screen writing students to just write. The first few drafts are like throwing up anyways, gotta get the stuff out. And then you can later figure out how to make it into something. Also, write for yourself, for your soul, because you want to. Don't worry about anything else or the future."
Well, there you have it. We are all different in a very special way by God's design, therefore of course four writers will respond to the question of "how to write" differently. It is ultimately up to the individual writer to find his or her voice and bring their inner world to life and into the hands of one who will appreciate the words they have merged into a story.
In the words of P. Nettie Nelson, "You will know. It will come."
