First venturing into novel writing can be an intimidating thing. It’s different than learning a sport or an art or something like that, because it’s harder to find classes or other people that are writers too.

I began writing when I was 7 or 8, just because I loved story. In the summer of 2017, it became a totally different thing for me. I still loved storytelling, but now I had a mission. I was serious about it now. 

That’s when I think I really started writing. When I decided to take it to a new level.

This new step was pretty overwhelming, especially when I began to research different things on how to write a good book. There’s just so much info out there! And I didn’t really know any other writers.

There’s several things, looking back now, that I wish I would’ve known, that somebody would’ve told me. So I want to share them with you today. Maybe you’re a beginning writer (or not), or know somebody that is, but I want to give you these things that I wish I’d know as a beginning writer…

01. Don’t be surprised if your writing is terrible

Sure, some people have a natural talent to write pretty good from the start. But in the beginning, your writing is going to be bad. Terrible. Cringe-y. But don’t feel bad. That’s how everyone starts in any venture. Raw and inexperienced. You need practice, just keep moving forward.

02. There are going to be lots of people better than you, but don’t be discouraged

It’s hard not to compare yourself and your writing to others, whether it be your friend, that blogger you follow, or the book you’re reading. Yes, there are people out there that have been writing longer and write better. But the important thing is that you don’t let it get you down, because you’re on a journey moving forward. And you’re learning a lot.

03. Enjoy the learning process

I once asked my brother, if he could choose one of his hobbies to be instantly amazing at, he said none. Because he was enjoying the learning process. Enjoying in the discovery of getting better and learning new things. That’s the way new writers should be. Enjoy honing your craft and learning new concepts, applying them to your stories. Years down the road, you want to remember with fondness the learning process, because of what you discovered about yourself and your writing.

04. Your first book isn’t going to be ready to be published

Not long ago I realized the importance of this. I’d finished the first part of the first draft of my futuristic WIP Underneath. I was editing it in preparation for the Realm Makers conference, because an author and family friend (Robert Treskillard) was going to look over the first chapter and give me a critique.

To be honest, I was ready to move along with this novel. Edit it, get an editor maybe, and starting the pitching process. Mr. Treskillard’s critique and my own editing of my manuscript made me realize: I’m not ready to publish. Not yet. I hadn’t learned enough about writing yet. I mean, it was only my first novel since getting serious about writing.

The important thing to realize, is that not every book will be publish ready, especially not your first (or first few, even). You need to let each story teach you things about writing and yourself and storytelling. Not every story needs to be seen by the world. Write just to write, to better your craft.

05.  Read like a writer

I’ve always been a big reader. But what I didn’t realize right away was that reading could help with my writing. Like, a lot. Read books written both well and not-so-well. Analyze them. See what the author does to make a character relatable, the plot interesting, and the story real. Don’t be afraid to point out the things done wrong too.

I did a blog post on this too, which you can check out HERE.

06. Find your own creative process

Everybody’s different. You need to find those little things in your creative process that are most beneficial to your writing. For example, I discovered that I write better when I tell myself that I’m not going to show anyone my first drafts. They are for my eyes only. This frees me to write without stress, without that feeling of someone looking over my shoulder. Now, some people don’t have a problem with showing their first drafts. Maybe it helps them with their own process.

Other things can be to figure out what time of day you feel most inspired to write, how many words you can write in a day, and different ways to refill your creative tank.

07. Figure out your unique outlining process

Before reading K. M. Weiland’s Outlining Your Novel a long time ago, I thought that everyone was an outliner, or should be. I went into that book prepared to apply all that info to myself and my writing process.

I was wrong.

Outlining is not for everybody. I definitely did learn lots from that book. But frankly, it went into way too deep into outlining for my personal taste. Going into that much detail dampened my creativity. Through this I figured out that I’m not an outliner. Or a pantser. I’m somewhere in between. Once I found the sweet-spot, outlining became less of a chore and more of a fun journey of discovery.

The important thing is to find what works best for you. Don’t feel like you have to do what everybody else is doing. Because what they’re doing may not work for you, because everyone is different.

I hope this may help someone out there, who’s just discovering this wonderfully enchanting thing called writing. And maybe you found something here for you, even if you’re not just starting. 🙂

Write on,

What’s something you wish you knew as a beginning writer? Are you an outliner or a pantser, or somewhere in between?