I read an article written in 2000 by Edo van Belkom that stuck. It covered tips and information that every writer needs to know and have emphasized.. I put his comments with ideas I already had so that when I pick up pen (or go to the keyboard) to write, I would have a good foundation, a starting point.
First of all, a writer writes because he has to, but it is hard work. Gary Brandner is quoted in Beldom’s article: “You write or you don’t. The curse of this profession is that it’s so much more fun being a writer than it is writing.” Being a writer is fun. Writing is hard work, but a real writer has no choice, he must write, must do the hard work.
A few writing tips (thanks to Belkom again and to my own ideas):
Read, read, read. Read your favorite and other genre. Read fiction and non-fiction. Read the paper. Read everything you can. Reading helps a writer understand writing and what well-written material is.
Write, write, write. Write stories, novels, poetry, articles. Write more and more. Write, write, write. Then evaluate your writing, and have others evaluate your writing.
Read and write more.
Write stories, poetry, and/or novels with building suspense. However, make the ending strong. In horror, mystery, thriller, and a few other genre, the suspense should lead to a good twist at the end, have an unexpected ending.
Research the market of any and all genre you might write. Note the differences from earlier times until the present. Know your subject thoroughly.
Send your stories and novels to editors your research shows may be interested in your work. If you don’t test the market, you’ll never know what you can do. Writing in a desk drawer or sitting on a shelf in a closet will never be sold.
Read, write, read, write, and don’t get discouraged.
Everything written above applies to most genre. The making of any type of writer, who is actually a writer, takes hard work, tons of reading, and piles of writing. Anyone not discouraged and still determined to go the course has a chance of becoming a true writer.
