Obsessing Over The Craft

Every time I start obsessing about the actual CRAFT of writing I freak out. Although I've taken some writing classes here and there over the years I've never officially learned how to write a novel.

Some writers swear you have to outline everything or you would be lost. I have never been good at outlines. They seem to take me longer than the actual writing!

Today I went to a writers panel and stood up to ask, basically "How do you write your books?"

The first author to respond said that everyone has a different way of doing it. You need to find what works for you. Some can organize thoughts and outline the entire story, while others write a sentence down, get ideas from that and just keep going until the first draft is done. I was so relieved to hear that. I fall into that latter camp.

On this blog you will probably hear me repeat myself over and over. That is because I cannot seem to get the simplest ideas to sink in. Hopefully I will "get it" sooner rather than later.

If you are a new writer, I highly recommend talking to other authors for advice. That is the best education, learning from people who are actually doing it.

So don't obsess over the little things. Do what works for you.

And above all, HAVE FUN!