Jul 28, 2013 18:44
This weekend I went to ConBravo! A gaming convention in Canada. While there, I sat in on a panel "How to Make it as an Indie Writer". I never had any plans to make it as an indie writer, but God did I find the insight on that panel inspiring!
So much so that I'm ready to push myself into writing again. I will treat it as an important craft to hone and not just as fishing bait for instant gratification. I will try to write down as many practices in fiction and non-fiction as my fancy allows. I will act on inspiration and churn out whatever I feel like churning out. The goal will be simple: to improve and grow as a writer. To find my voice once and for all.
I will be taking to heart some of the ideas I got from the panel:
1. Don't be afraid to suck. You will suck. Put out something that sucks. And then move on to the next idea. This is probably the most important idea since it's the key to getting started. Not obsessing over the end result and not letting perfectionism inhibit your ideas. Not letting your need to be a great writer stop you from being the writer you currently are...specifically a writer in training. A learning and developing writer.
2. Write exercises in character. Character interviews, profiles, short stories, pieces of dialogue. Anything you can think of.
3. Move on to places where you can get honest feedback for your work. If necessary, join a writing group. Have friends to write with. But no matter what you do, be ready to take and consider criticism. This is how you grow. And if your work is criticize, take the painful criticism unflinchingly. Consider what helps and what doesn't, learn from it, and move right on.
4. Remember that this is a commitment. Write every day. Remind yourself to write every day. Keep your voice strong, and don't let yourself spiral out of control.
5. Challenge yourself. Write outside your comfort zone. SECURE in the knowledge that it will suck at first.
6. Do your research. If you're going to write a character (female, gay, hispanic, etc) Do your research and have friends of yours proof it for mistakes in characteristics.
I will keep these thoughts in mind and keep this journal prominent where I can get to it in a hurry. I will write down crappy entries just to get back in the habit of writing. I will continue reading to get inspired. And I will remember the inspiration that got me going again.