I've Received from Savvy Writers (Like You)
I belong to a local Christian writers' group, Omaha Wordsowers. Since the pandemic we've been meeting on the fourth Thursday of every month via Zoom. Maybe one of these months we'll get back to meeting face-to-face but for now the online meetings are working for us.
At our September meeting, members will be asked to share advice they've received that has made a difference in their writing. Jeanie and I (as part of the leadership team) will each share five writing tips that have helped us. We'll also share one bit of advice we could have done without.
Here is a list of advice I've received which has benefited me:
1. Don't wait until you feel inspired to write cuz' it ain't gonna happen. (I'm sure all you
grammar gurus loved that sentence. Not.)
2. Thanks to Kenny Rogers:
"You've got to know when to hold them,
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run."
(You sang that, didn't you?)
3. Editors aren't there to make you feel bad. They're there to make your great book
even better. They're there to help you with the process.
4. Family anecdotes and quirky behaviors may have a place in your story. (Be sure to
get permission if you can, or at least warn them.)
5. You need to network, and yes, promote yourself.
6. Worst piece of advice:
Don't write about what you don't know. That's bad advice because you can always
learn about what you don't know.
In coming articles, I'll go into more detail about each piece of advice listed above. If you'd like to be a part of our next Wordsowers meeting on September 22nd at 7:00 p.m., contact me at lolliehofer@yahoo.com and I'll let you know how you can join our private group.