Ready for a new writing week? Let’s start with a writing tip.
This quote from bestselling author Louis L’Amour is one of my favorites:
“If you’re going to be a writer, the first essential is just to write. Do not wait for an idea. Start writing something and the ideas will come. You have to turn the faucet on before the water starts to flow.”
If you’re a new writer, this quote has the potential to provide guidance for years to come. OTOH, if you’re an established writer, you will forget this tip and its lesson, many times. With any luck at all, you’ll recall it when you most need it.
When you know a writing tip but you forget it, over and over again
“Write and the ideas will come,” I should have this tattooed on my hand where I can see it every day, along with: “you’re overthinking this (again!)”
A few days ago I fretted about a historical novel I’m writing. (Sigh. I’m always fretting about a novel I’m writing.)
After passing the Midpoint Twist, I felt that maybe things were going too well… Perhaps the twist wasn’t twisty enough?
Maybe I could and should:
- Reread the first three chapters. The first scene is vitally important, as is the first chapter. Had I set up something which should pay off in the second half of the novel?
- Review the characters. With so many open threads involving characters, maybe I could begin closing them? (Sigh again… This doesn’t matter. I’m writing a series, I can close threads in the next novel in the series.)
- Add sensory detail…
When you encounter doubt and suspect you’re overthinking, just write
Eventually, I remembered the Louis L’Amour quote. I decided that I’d ignore my doubts and just write.
Happy writing. 🙂
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Copywriter and marketing pro Angela Booth maintains a busy copywriting and ghostwriting practice. Fascinated by online marketing, she wrote one of the first business books for internet marketing, published by Allen & Unwin. She’s been an enthusiastic blogger since the late 1990s.
