One step at a time
If you're a writer, you know that one of the first lessons learned is 'one step at a time.' At least, I hope you have gained that bit of knowledge and remind yourself of it now and then.
Our photo today shows stepping stones to help you cross a body of water. You're not going to run across those stones. What if you plopped right into the water? You'd probably be cold, and definitely be sopping wet. Instead, you'd move from one stone to the other carefully to reach the other side, which is your goal.
When you first started writing, you didn't leap forward straight into publication. If only it worked that way! We do have to move on our writing journey one step at a time.
Writers whose dream is to write a novel and have it published should not dive right into writing a 400 page book. Write shorter pieces until you feel they show strong writing. Submit to publications to see if what you have written is worthy of publication. Publish a few short things before delving into the deep waters of novel writing.
Take another step by reading as much as you can about the craft of writing. Read magazines like Writer's Digest, Writers and Poets, and The Writer. If you don't want to pay for a subscription, check to see if your library carries any of them. Mine does, and that's where I read The Writer off and on. The articles in this type of magazine can be inspiring as well as informative. Check your library for books on writing. If you find one you especially like, go ahead and buy it so you'll have a copy to refer to off and on. If you're so inclined, purchase books on writing and build your own library. Don't let them just sit on the shelf. Go through each one now and then to refresh what you learned from them.
One more step is to surround yourself with other writers now and then. Have coffee with one or two. No one understands a writer better than another writer. Go to workshops or conventions and mingle with many writers. Doing so can inspire you to write.
The point here is that becoming a published writer takes a series of steps. It's a long process. I've been writing for almost thirty years, but I am still learning, and I'm still trying to become a better writer. Don't expect miracles to happen in a short time. Keep moving across those stepping stones, one at a time, and do it carefully.
This is a great posts, especially for new writers, but also a good reminder for old guys like me. I like the picture of taking one step at a time rather than imagining the best way to eat an elephant.
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