One of my favorite groups from the 60s is The Lovin’ Spoonful. They were full of good-time music and fun. Even today, I enjoy listening to them as I write. One of my favorite songs is Do You Believe in Magic? The song is about the magical connection between a guy and a gal. But it could be the magical connection between the writer and their computer (or whatever they use to create the story).
When I started writing about two years ago, I never dreamed I would write a narrative of more than 1500 words. But, next month, my first novel launches, and it clocks in at more than 92,000 words. It has been described as “A pleasant, quiet tale about the gradual improvement in a young man’s life” – Kirkus Reviews. Another reviewer said, “I felt like I was watching it live.” – The Workshop. So, I think I have reached the first level of becoming a good writer.
I was at a wine dinner with some friends, and one suggested a story about a burglar deciding he has had enough and retires. When I started the book, that was all I had. I am a ‘pantser,’ meaning I write from the seat of my pants. I invented everyone and every event on the fly. When I started, I had no character names, setting, or idea how he became a burglar or what made him decide to give it up. “Winston Thibodeau James” are the first three words of the novel, and they just magically appeared on the page. I would write a chapter and take a break. Then reread what I had written and asked myself, “What should happen next?” and wrote the next chapter.
You may be a plotter with detailed snowflakes, beats, or outlines. Perhaps you are a pantser like me and like to just let it flow freely. It could be you fall somewhere in between. The one all writers have in common is they write. I know some writers who prefer to write at a specific time of day and/or for a specific period of time. I have a wife, friends, and a part-time job. I write when the time magically appears. In my home office, I write on a Mac. Elsewhere, I write on a tablet. One webinar suggested writing a minimum of every other day. I write every day. It may be an hour or two on my novel. It may be just practicing dialogue or describing a scene. The key is writers write.
It matters little what you write or how long you write. It only matters that you write!
Steven Wilcox 