Good news! Since I've last blogged, I've had two short stories published, in two different online ezines. The first is called Footprints in the Snow and was published in Bewildering Stories back in December. You can find it here.
The second short story is called Little Soldier, and was published in The WiFiles. You can read it here.
So I am now officially a published author, if not a paid published author!
I first got serious about writing, with the goal of publication, about two-and-a-half years ago. Since that time, I've studied numerous books on craft and read zillions of blog posts. I've attended writing conferences, talked with other writers, and studied what literary agents are saying. And, of course, I've written and written and written. I've done it all with the goal of learning as much as I can about writing and how to do it well.
As invaluable as all this information has been, I've learned that finding your own writing method is not as easy as simply picking the one tried and true method that works best for you.
A writer's method is like a fingerprint--unique to you and only you. Figuring out your own writing method is a journey. It's the journey. It's a matter of trying as many different methods and techniques as you can, taking the pieces that work for you, and then blending them with your own unique style to create something totally new.
Finding what works best takes time. After lots of trial and error, I think I've finally found my method. It's made up of bits and pieces I've gleaned from others, as well as bits and pieces from me. The greatest part is that there's always more to learn. When I find something new that works, I add it to what I already have. Like tools in my little writers' toolbox.
I'm so grateful for all the little bumps that have gotten me to where I am today. I know there's so much farther to go on this journey and I'm excited to see where the road will lead me.
Yay! These are huge steps. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI love how you describe each writer's personal method, by the way. It's so true; no two writers in the world will use exactly the same method, it seems. Although it makes me feel a little lost at times, I'm also kind of glad about it, because I think that's what leads to such a wide variety of stories being published. If we were all alike, the world would be boring. :-)