If you’ve just started writing, then congratulations! Writing anything, whether it be a novel, a short story, a poem or just a blog post, is a fantastic way to express yourself creatively. An exciting road lies ahead of you. One where you will make countless mistakes and learn something new at every step of the journey.
Many lessons you will have to learn for yourself through experience. Others are tips you will pick up from others. Here are three things every beginner writer should know.
Number 1: The first draft of anything is always rubbish.
The first draft of a manuscript always sucks. Not only will there be spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. There are probably going to be continuity errors, gaps in the story, parts that need revising and rewriting. The first draft is a rough guide. It’s a good start and once you have it, you can start to turn it into something great.
Don’t let a bad first draft get you down. To actually complete a first draft in the first place is a very good sign.
Number 2: Never edit as you go. Always finish the book or story first.
Editing as you go is a highway to madness. It’s ok to make mistakes. You can fix them in the second and third and fifteenth draft of your book. Besides, it will take far too long to write your book if you’re agonizing over every chapter after just writing it. That’s a surefire way to lose all motivation.
Finish your book. That’s job number one as a writer.
Number 3: Write for yourself, not for anyone else.
When you write something, you probably harbour dreams of having someone else read it. You want to be published. You want the audience to love your work. But when we start writing we should write only for ourselves. Write the book you would love to read.
After all, you’re a book fan too and if you love your story, others will too.
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