I was asked on Twitter recently how to get started as a writer. That’s a HUGE question. There’s so much to it. But let me try and answer as best I can.
Step 1: Study English. No, you don’t already know it.
Everyone who speaks English natively thinks they know English well. But it’s not true. Your language is the most fundamental tool in your writing. Writing is a craft that you have to be an expert in to succeed.
Just like you can’t produce hit songs without being REALLY good at music, you have to be basically be an expert in your language to be a successful writer.
So the first step is to find ways to build your language skills. Learn all the new words you can.
One technique that I just started was to take a word that I use too much and put in into a spreadsheet in column A. Then in column B I write every word I can think of that’s a synonym for what’s in column A. Then I look up synonyms for every word in column B and out them in column C. Then I don’t use any word in columns A or B. Just the ones in C.
Here’s another tool that I like. I don’t know who came up with it, but it’s a good tool. This chart is called Emotions.
Step 2: Read, Read, Read
If you don’t read a lot, don’t bother to try to become a writer. It won’t work.
Reading builds your language skills. It gives you new ideas. I helps you think in ways you never would on your own.
Studies back in the 1980s showed that reading actually rewires your brain and helps you process ideas in more advanced ways. And actually, math does that even more. So if you know a lot of math, your brain already has the right wiring for being a writer.
Step 3: Write, Write, Write
If you don’t write a lot, don’t bother to try to become a writer. It won’t work.
Write as often as possible. Write short stories. Write articles. Write textbooks. Write ANYTHING, but just WRITE.
Step 4: Study How Stories are Put Together
A story needs certain things. If those things are not in the plot, the story probably isn’t going to fly.
Remember this: MICE.
M = Milieu
The Milieu of a story is its setting. In milieu stories, there may be important characters, but the setting is at least as important as they are.
Take Lord of the Rings. One of the biggest reasons it’s such a classic is its fantastic milieu. Look, at the end they toss the ring in the volcano (hope I’m not spoiling this for anyone), then they go back to the Shire and chase all the idiots out. Then Frodo and Bilbo sail away and the story’s STILL not done. It continues on with Sam. That’s because the story is as much about the setting as it is about the characters. Middle Earth and all that happens there are as important as Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam.
I=Idea
Idea stories focus on one thought and they take it to an extreme. There’s often not a real plot in these types of stories. To my knowledge science fiction is the only genre that uses idea stories very much.
C=Character
Many types of stories focus on the characters. Your characters must seem to really live. They must be distinct. They must have their own shortcomings. They must have real reasons for doing things. The reason has to be more than, “He’s the dirty rat who shot my brother. Now I’m gonna kill him.” Not everyone whose brother gets shot goes on a killing spree. So why did THIS character REALLY hunt the bad guy down and kill him? What makes THIS character different than the brothers of everyone else that the bad guy killed? Motivations must be real. They must really move characters to action.
Characters should change as the story progresses. One of the very few things I disliked about the Harry Potter series is that Harry hardly changes from beginning to end. But there’s so much else about the series that the author gets away with it.
I like stories where you get to discover the characters as you go. You get to see what really motivates them, how they’ve tried to cope in the past, and why that isn’t working for them now. Then you see them try something new and either become more whole or find a new “normal” to function with (whatever “normal” is).
E=Event
Stories can be focused on specific events. You can have great characters in the story, but the focal event is at least as important as the characters.
Step 5: Learn MODERN Marketing Methods
Most of the marketing methods out there are for the 20th Century. They don’t work any more.
Whether you self-publish or go with a traditional publisher, you’ll have to market your book. Traditional publishers don’t actually do that much marketing any more. They expect you to do it.
When you are marketing, here are the things you DON’T do.
- DON’T write a book, find a company to print it up, and then start marketing it. That’s SO 20th Century. It won’t work.
- DON’T print any of your writing at all until you know that it will sell. Publish it online at Amazon and similar sites. Use online tools first. Get a following, then print up your books that you know will sell.
- DON’T buy advertising. There are LOTS of sites that advertise books for you. They’re not worth it. It’s just a waste of money.
When you are marketing, here are things that you DO.
- DO publish digitally and then get books printed that you know will sell.
- DO start a newsletter and get people to sign up for it.
- DO build a following on Twitter, Pintrest, Facebook, and maybe Vines and Instragram. You might consider SnapChat as well. When you announce the publication of a new book or story, about 3%-5% of the people in your social network will buy it. Some authors report that as many as 10% will go out and buy their work as soon as it’s announced. That will put you on the charts on sites like Amazon.
- DO research modern marketing. What worked two years ago will not work now. It’s always changing. You have to keep on top of it. There are LOTS of sites, blogs, and so forth that will teach you how it’s done. If I get a chance, I may even write about that myself. But I’ll only be repeating the things I’ve discovered from others.
That’s about all for now. That’s actually a HUGE amount to get started with. Best of luck in your writing endeavors.
Chad
The Possessor Wars
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