Develop Your Inner Writer

Everyone Is a Writer
The literary world has evolved from the days of Guttenberg's first printed page to handheld electronic readers. Writers have had to evolve with these modern literary changes in more ways than just writing for online blogs and content. Today, everyone is a writer whether they are established in the literary world or not. The line between mediocre writers and those who enter the hallowed sanctuaries of the world's greatest writers is as fine as a strand of baby's hair. Mediocre writers often develop into great writers.

Who Is Your Inner Writer?
In order to know your inner writer, you have to listen carefully to the voices of the characters you create. If the voice sounds too familiar, it isn't the character's voice. It's yours. It's difficult to write in first person without boring readers quickly. Determine who your inner writer is before attempting to write bios, non-fiction or fiction. There's a writer inside all of us and knowing who that writer is and the goals your inner writer has in mind is the best way to proceed confidently into your first writing project.

Develop Your Inner Writer
When a new writer begins their first writing project, there's a dimension of disconnection between what we want to write and how we choose to express that in writing clearly understood by our readers. One tip is to write your opening paragraph as if you are climbing the gangplank of the HMS Titanic. Everything that follows can be an unforeseeable disaster. The first sentence is as important as the last. It's the first sentence that gives readers impetus to continue reading. Always end your chapters as a lead into the next chapter. Continuity is crucial. You develop your inner writer by perfecting your style and your natural writing talents. Pavlova couldn't perform those thirty-two fouette turns in Swan Lake without practice. Tolstoy's friendship with Tchaikovsky helped him develop as a writer by observing the self-discipline of one of the world's greatest composers.

Your Writing Today, Your Writing Tomorrow
Most of our most famous authors began writing as novices in the literary world. When you read their first works, you see the great, as yet, undeveloped writing talent. By the time they've produced their last literary work, the polish and unique nuances are their signature style. Your writing today grows into your writing tomorrow when you make writing a life choice. Your inner writer develops into your signature style. Work hard to create that signature style so that your writing talents are valued by readers. You want that style to be easily recognized and anticipated.

E-Readers and How They Affect Your Writing
E-readers are convenient. Can you write for e-readers in the same way you'd write for a hard copy? The answer is yes. Writing is all about content. Good writing in any genre comes from writing skill, experience and talent. The only difference with writing for e-readers is the form.

Write What You Like
It's obvious that writers have enormous freedom to write about any topic and in any genre. However, be aware that scattering writing energies in too many genres can confuse your most loyal readership. For example, if you prefer to write sci-fi and then abruptly decide to write bios, your sci-fi experience can overshadow your newer choice of genre. Most children's writers find the transition to adult genres difficult and their credibility compromised. Dr. Seuss writing a murder mystery is a little difficult to process. Dr. Seuss writing a sci-fi is slightly more palatable to his readers. When making a writing transition, make certain it's a natural next step to a similar or related genre.

Like What You Write
If you don't like what you write, your readers won't either. Find your literary comfort zone. This helps you enjoy what you've written and more so, like it so much you'll feel an aching for the characters and the plot after it's been completed. This is usually a clue that a sequel might be the next writing project. Sequels are fine so long as the plot is revitalized. Readers love to find a character they might recall from a prior novel. Agatha Christie did this excellently with Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. You'll find a character in my next novel, "The Hanging House on Partridge Lane" uncovers several characters mentioned in "The House at the End of Langdon Road." Like what you write so you readership will too.

The Long Hard Road at the End of the Last Chapter

The Final Chapter Is Just the Beginning
The last chapter of my third novel, "The Hanging House on Partridge Lane" is finished. The final chapter of a novel is just the beginning. The next step is editing the entire manuscript for grammatical errors, errors in fact or chronological time, punctuation and of course, typos. Writers can have professional proof readers edit their manuscripts. This is actually the best way to insure the manuscript is publisher/editor ready. Don't rely solely on grammar, spelling or punctuation checkers to do the editing. Homonyms like to, too and two are rarely caught.

Step Two - Submitting the Manuscript
Many new writers discover today's world of publishing means writers, not agents or publishers, will do all of their own marketing and self-marketing. This may be difficult for some writers who are also tech, ghost, copy and content writers who earn the major share of their income from these types of freelance jobs. The smart writer creates their literary persona and builds their literary resume based mostly on an enormous amount of self-confidence in their writing skills. No writer can afford the luxury of second-guessing their writing skills. If your writing elicits responses or reactions, make sure you keep a record of these. Keep your own literary "Me" file. Fill it with accolades from individuals willing to be mentioned in your literary profile.

Selecting the Correct Publishing Medium
The "Last Chapter Blues" includes angst over which publishing medium will be most likely to exact the desire result: to have your book published. Fortunately, self-publishing today is as close to traditional publishing as it has never been before. The reason is simple: The writer will do the lion's share of the marketing in either venue. Writers can choose self-publishing, traditional publishing or small press publishing. Remember, you can be a much bigger fish in a smaller sea than a minnow in an ocean.

Do Book Reviews Matter?
If book reviews are important to your self-marketing program, choose those that offer video interviews first. Don't be afraid to approach local TV and radio stations about giving you an opportunity to discuss your book. If you wrote it, you have the right to publicize it.

The Value of Literary Lawyers
At some point in the discussion of a contract between writer and publisher, a literary lawyer may become necessary. If the publisher is really interested in your work, the cost of the advice of a literary lawyer may be absorbed by the publisher. Choose a literary lawyer with a successful track record of experience.

The Traditional Publishing Conundrum
For writers who love the suspense, sci-fi and other fiction genres, attracting the attention of celebrity hungry publishers is a difficult nut to crack. The best advice is a trial run on any of the most popular social media sites that allow you publish your work. This works to reinforce your literary persona and keeps your author's status fresh in mind.

Persistence Pays Off
Like any sport of kings, persistence pays off when winning is the main goal. Becoming an author and being a recognized author takes time and daily effort. Snap up every opportunity to publicize your work even in casual social media conversations. Don't forget to check out the numerous venues that offer free publicity at local events. When your own local readership recognizes you, half of the battle to move ahead is won. Make sure your local library carries copies of your books. Offer free copies whenever possible. This is all part of your marketing strategy.

"The Hanging House on Partridge Lane" is completed. The editing is nearly there. It's a suspense novel that builds upon, but isn't a sequel to, "Barrow House" and "The House at the End of Langdon Road." I like the idea of using a single, less prominent character from the two previously published "House" books. Houses and the people who live in them fascinate me. "The Hanging House on Partridge Lane" is yet another example how a house isn't just a home when a murderess has spent years plotting and scheming, compromising even the wealth she managed to acquire, to hide her part in several deaths in her mysterious past.