Practical Advice for Beginning Fiction (or other genre) Writers by Arthur J. Gonzalez

11:00 AM | Labels: Authors, Guest Post

I decided to write a post surrounding advice for beginning Fiction writers (which last year, I was at the very front line of). I can attest to the panic and fear, and relate to all the emotions that follow closely along every step of the way through this foreign and scary process.

If there’s one thing I cannot stress enough, is not to be intimidated by what’s already out there, or not to let what’s ‘popular’ guide the direction of your book. With that being said; however, know what is going on. Know the business, the state of things, what’s been successful and what hasn’t – just don’t let it direct your creative approach. Remember: at one point vampires and witches weren’t as popular as they are now. Someone crossed the line and decided they were going to create the next-big-thing.

I also think it’s important to find an editor you trust. This person will become your mentor and help mold you in ways you never thought were possible. As with what happened with my own editor, she became somewhat of a literary mother to me, as well as an essential friend to my life. I don’t know how I would have navigated the process without her.

Lastly, I know how compulsive and impulsive we all get during the process. We WANT/NEED our story to get into the hands on readers. And I agree – it does. BUT, be strategic and smart about the process. One wrong move may ruin your entire execution. It has to be right. Approach your writing as your real career, your business. You wouldn’t serve raw meat (I hope not) at your restaurant to please a hungry patron. It has to be cooked, the presentation needs to be onpoint, and the end result needs to yield satisfaction. You can’t achieve this if you try to hurry, hurry, hurry your way through the process. Trust me on this! I am beyond guilty of this behavior, but thanks to my editor, I was able to understand the importance of this virtue they call patience.

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