Thoughts from Annette on Writing:
Interested in writing? Wonderful! I so wish I could personally mentor and coach new writers as they begin their creative journeys. However, during this season of my life, demands on my time make that impossible. It’s my hope that you’ll find the following information helpful and encouraging.
To be a writer, be a reader. Every successful writer I know is a voracious reader. Read the classics as well as what’s hot at the moment. Read the kinds of books, stories, or articles you hope to write. Haunt local bookstores. Keep up with the bestseller lists. Because I only want to write books people will read, when considering a new project, I always ask myself, how does this fit into today’s market? How does it stand out?
Real writers write. Period. We write when we feel inspired and witty. We write when we feel discouraged and dull. We put in the time. True confession. I find it way more fun to talk about writing, read about writing, and go to meetings about writing than to actually write. So do lots of other people. Many talented folks have wonderful stories inside them. They possess the ability to share those stories with the rest of us but they never get around to putting words to paper. What a loss. Take advantage of books, conferences, and other writing tools. Just realize they don’t get the job done. Only time spent at the keyboard will produce works the rest of us can enjoy.
At a recent booksigning a young woman said, “I want to be a writer like you so I can make a lot of money, quit my job, and stay home with my kids. How do I get started?”
I’m afraid my answer disappointed my new friend. The writing life offers many rewards, but great financial gain is one few writers ever see. So why do we do it? My imperfect answer is that if a person is born to write it’s like having a life-long itch that has to be scratched. When a writer doesn’t write, something feels unbalanced, out of kilter. Write for no other reason than because it’s the gift God has given you. Let your light shine -- for yourself, for your family, for those who will come after you.
I won’t kid you. Publication is wonderful. My best days are those when my UPS man delivers a case of brand new books to my front door. Getting published is tanglible proof something we’ve written has been deemed worthwhile by someone other than our mothers and our best friends. So here’s my advice. Pursue publication. Desire it. Dream it. Try the small markets. The big ones. The ones in between. Learn all you can. Go to conferences. Read books. Put in the time.
But never let publication be the reason for writing. Write because you have something to say. Write because you feel out of sorts if you don’t. Write because something touched your heart, stirred your emotions, or captured your imagination.
Because if you’re a writer, it’s what you were created to do.
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