Occasionally you hear an author say, “the book wrote itself.” Really? That’s as incredible as saying, “I knitted my own false teeth.”
This writing business is hard and slippery. I started with enthusiasm and misplaced confidence. My first hurdle was tenses which slapped me round the face and said, “You really have no idea what to do with us.”
Then I got all caught up with POV. I’ve settled for first person as I find it easier. Experts in my writers group say it is frowned upon and limits the author. Now they tell me, when I am seventeen chapters in.
One useful tip I wish I’d known at the start, produce a first draft and then iron it out later. It took me four and a half years to write three chapters as I kept going back to alter a comma. I still can’t resist a mini edit now and again, but that’s more for continuity than self flagellation.
The latest thing to get in a flap about is ‘The Passive Voice.’ That’s not, apparently some weird cult, but is all about verb order and while we’re on the subject, I need to excommunicate all my adjectives.
I am steadily ploughing on, but all the time thinking, is there anyone out there who is going to read it anyway?
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