Fiction Writing Tips From the Editor

Deciding if Writing Is Right for You

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A writer emailed me with: "I need to know if I have a talent for commercial writing. I have many ideas for stories. I would very much appreciate a professional opinion. I’m already 54 years old and would like to spend my time and very little money wisely. So, what do you think?"

What You Need to Know:#1 Fresh ideas for stories are great–something all readers appreciate. Are your ideas really fresh and interesting? Or a rehash of a tried-and-true storyline? Being fresh doesn't mean going off the wall, forcing weird formats or techniques. It means using those tried-and-true formats but adding a fresh tone, character, twist or setting that makes YOUR story memorable. Do you understand the basics of the genre you are writing for? Have you incorporated those basics along with some interesting new angles?

#2 Sadly, a great premise is only that--a premise. Writing technique is another matter altogether. And it takes both to create a fine story. Are your techniques polished and smooth? Do the methods you use jump out at readers or create a flow that pulls readers in? Too many new writers try to be "fancy" with using techniques, when all a reader wants is a well-written, enticing story. They don't want to be hit over the head with one method or another! You can use peer groups, friends and fellow writers for at least a start in knowing how others perceive your writing ability. Then consider a professional opinion because that can often be more honest than the opinion of someone who knows you.

#3 The publishing world is a brutal and highly competitive business. Short stories, in particular, have few venues these days. So if you are hoping to make money with your writing, you need to look long and hard at the markets, what they pay, how much competition there is for that particular market, etc.

Books are also a tough sell, especially for first-time authors. A publisher would willingly pay big money to print a poor novel by a known author who has a following than pay little for a really good manuscript by a first-timer. Why? They know the veteran writer’s novel will sell enough on the author’s name alone to be profitable. And promoting any new author requires not only the risk of whether the book will be popular but the additional costs to promote. I’m giving you the “tough love” here, but I don’t want you to be unrealistic in your expectations. The “if you write it, they will come” theory just isn’t so.

Discover more about the markets that are available by reading Writer’s Market, Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market, and exploring online marketing directories.

The bigger question is WHY are you writing? Do you really love it? Find it a fascinating and stimulating idea? Then try it by all means! There is nothing (in this writer/editor’s opinion) more satisfying than creating a world of your own, peopled by characters of your choosing, and then, with them, exploring relationships, philosophies, events and ideas. And the cost is minimal compared to other creative endeavors. You may find you have just the right approach that a publisher will like … and have a great time learning a life-long skill in the process!

Any questions? Write me, Sandra Haven, at Bristol Services Intl. by clicking services@bristolservicesintl.com

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