I just finished reviewing a poorly written book and it demonstrated the fact that writing a book is not all glory and self satisfaction at seeing your name on a book, as its author.
Far from it! It’s grueling, damn hard work. Any one of you out there can write, the trick is writing well. It’s being willing to rewrite and rewrite some more. And then edit: does this word, sentence, chapter move my story forward? Would my character say this? Sound like this? Behave like this?
Then there’s the delete 
key. Horrors! Delete some of my brilliant writing? Yes. You better be willing to give up some of those self-proclaimed brilliant words and be happy about it. Because when it’s said and done your book will be better for it.
How do you get from writing that first sentence to a finished book? In my opinion, there is no right and wrong way to prepare. I write my first draft from the seat of my pants; with just an idea that’s been rattling around in my head for days. No plot line, no story line, and in the case of my true crime series, I often don’t know who my killer is until later. I will let my characters take me on their journey and the killer will always revel themselves to me.
I marinate, speculate and hibernate. Continue reading “Edit Thyself, Writers!”