Guest Post- Do You Know What You're Getting Into? (Writing tips from Ink)

I began writing my series, Blood Chains, in 2007. Specifically, in the middle of English 12. I was a senior in high school, and stressed out from school and my family; and there, in the middle of class came a character. Tarius Sylvren was deposited to me in a cage, abused and waiting to die. But something about him pleaded with me to let him out. Find out who he was and who had sentenced him to death. I didn’t know at the time that this was a gift from my muse, but I took it. Though at the time we started the story before its beginning. Now, in 2011, I am on book five in the series, and beginning to upload edited chapters of Keeping Demons. I’ve been on this ride for a few years, as well as having written many short stories growing up, and while I don’t claim to know everything- I’d like to share what I have learned.

-       Always follow that idea. You’ll never know if it’s a beginning or just a wall until you write it out. So write. No matter how weird, or morbid- doesn’t matter if it’s what you normally go for or some odd kink; write it. Get it out of your system, and save it. Because if nothing else, you’ll find it a couple of weeks later, and won’t recognize it. It’ll be this interesting piece that captures you again and you won’t remember writing it.

Periodically I’ll go through my files and weed out really, really, old things. It’s usually once a year though. I’d recommend doing the same, and just- read some of the stuff you’ve written. If you have no interest in it after you read it; throw it away. But if any little piece of that calls to you- save it. It might be a future idea, or a new character. Maybe it’s the next story?

-       Don’t sweat the grammar and spelling. Just write it. All of that will come in the editing, and the re-editing. On that same note; don’t ever be the sole editor. Get someone you trust to help you. Just make sure that person won’t just tell you there isn’t anything wrong with the writing.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s great hearing that your writing is awesome. But it’s not perfect. Ever. Just because they can’t find something wrong with it, doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong with it. And no matter how much you think you aren’t; you are biased to your work. Either you love it, and there isn’t anything wrong with it- or you don’t think it’s good at all. Either way, you shouldn’t be the sole editor.

-       Everyone has different ways of writing; from where we write, to how we write.
I prefer to type in Microsoft Word with the Pandora Radio playing. But if I can’t- then I write long hand, and type later. My writing has also been described as ‘choppy’. While things like spelling and grammar are fairly consistent- a writer’s voice is their own. The story is theirs, and it will sound like them. It’s how they write. It’s the beauty of writing; there is no specifically ‘right’ answer. With that said, don’t change just to please others.

-       Write for yourself first.

You, yes you my dear writer, are your audience. I hope you started this story because you wanted to know what happens. And if not, then why did you start writing? Write for yourself, write because you want to. Worry about audience, and marketing later. Fall in love with your characters; build them up, make them real- and others will fall in love with them too. You’ve got to sell the story to yourself: if you don’t believe that the character could have done this- no one else will either.

My final piece of advice is to write. You will never write a book if you can’t find the time to write. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but it needs to be consistent. For example, I personally, write every single day. The particular time varies, but it’s every day. I write until I fall asleep or until I have to go back to reality. The important part is that I write every day. Make a goal for yourself and stick with it. Laurell K Hamilton’s goal is 4 pages. Every day. And she will stick with it until she gets that minimum. Don’t wait for inspiration- just write. Every day. Remember: words turn into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, paragraphs to pages and pages equal books.

Happy Writing!

–Ink. 

You can find Ink at http://animbilivens.tumblr.com/