Yesterday I posted Tip #1, which was to finish your book. Well, now that you have taken my advice and stayed up all night working on it, here is Tip #2.
Tip #2- Join a Writer's Group
I'm sure you've had all of your friends read your current project, heck, even your grandma read it and loved it, but unless you have other writers or editor type people look at it, you could have several grammar problems and missing pieces in your novel. So, join a Writer's Group! You really need to be careful with who you surround yourself with. You don't want a group of people who love everything you have done and see nothing wrong with it. It sure makes you feel better, but in the long run, we all know there will be mistakes. You also don't want to surround yourself with people who are always negative and put you down (take a look at the cartoon above). You can only take so much before you just want to crawl into a hole and die. A good Writer's Group should consist of others like yourself who are looking for an extra pair of eyes. Maybe you know of someone who loves to read the certain genre you are writing in, or someone who is also writing in the same genre. Do they have to be professional editors? No. But would it be helpful if they knew the basics of writing and can offer you some good advice? Yes. A good group should meet at least once a month and be a place where you can each read around five pages of whatever you are writing. They should listen and then offer advice on character development, missing holes in your plot, and grammar. You should always try and stick with the same people so you don't have to go back and give a synopsis of your book everytime. Make sure that you return the favor though, and help out your fellow group members the best you can.
I just met a wonderful group of writers who are in the same boat as me, trying to find that perfect agent. It's nice to be able to vent my frustrations with them about trying to break into the business. It's also nice to hear that they like my story=) Overall, joining a Writer's Group is a great way to get feedback on your writing (or a great excuse to get out of the house).
Now go find your group!!
Tip #2- Join a Writer's Group
I'm sure you've had all of your friends read your current project, heck, even your grandma read it and loved it, but unless you have other writers or editor type people look at it, you could have several grammar problems and missing pieces in your novel. So, join a Writer's Group! You really need to be careful with who you surround yourself with. You don't want a group of people who love everything you have done and see nothing wrong with it. It sure makes you feel better, but in the long run, we all know there will be mistakes. You also don't want to surround yourself with people who are always negative and put you down (take a look at the cartoon above). You can only take so much before you just want to crawl into a hole and die. A good Writer's Group should consist of others like yourself who are looking for an extra pair of eyes. Maybe you know of someone who loves to read the certain genre you are writing in, or someone who is also writing in the same genre. Do they have to be professional editors? No. But would it be helpful if they knew the basics of writing and can offer you some good advice? Yes. A good group should meet at least once a month and be a place where you can each read around five pages of whatever you are writing. They should listen and then offer advice on character development, missing holes in your plot, and grammar. You should always try and stick with the same people so you don't have to go back and give a synopsis of your book everytime. Make sure that you return the favor though, and help out your fellow group members the best you can.
I just met a wonderful group of writers who are in the same boat as me, trying to find that perfect agent. It's nice to be able to vent my frustrations with them about trying to break into the business. It's also nice to hear that they like my story=) Overall, joining a Writer's Group is a great way to get feedback on your writing (or a great excuse to get out of the house).
Now go find your group!!