What do I blog about?
Like so many of us, I'm still trying to figure that out! However, for new writers and bloggers, a good place to start is the journey of writing.
On that note, here is part of my journey so far.
I had never thought to be a writer. Sure, everyone says they have a book in their heart that is dying to get out, but how many actually sit down and write it? Fewer than some might expect. If you read my previous post "The secret society of Writers" you will know some of my motivations with writing, but here are some of the more intimate details.
When I sat down for the first time at my little laptop, opened the page and looked at it, I must admit, it was with trepidation! What is the first line?! I'd had the idea for the novel kicking around in my mind for ages, probably about a year before the overwhelming urge to write it down became too much for me to handle. Bear in mine, I'd had a stellar career in my field and then swapped it for farming. Writing was about as foreign as Mars at that point!!
Well, needless to say, the first line was written and about a million more after that. But how does anyone know if what they have is any good or just the ramblings of a writer wannabe? I looked at my finished manuscript with pride to begin with, then something else set in. Panic and fear! What the heck do I do with it now?! The next part of my journey involved seeking some assistance. I joined the social media game and began to pick the brains of those who had been published, traditional and Indie. And it was absolutely the right thing to do. So what next?
For me, a good place to start was an assessment service. Here in Australia, there are several of these services available. You are able to send away your brand new manuscript, edited or raw, to be read and assessed by published authors and literary agents.(in confidence I might add) I took a long time to reach this step. I loved my novel, but I felt a sense of fear in taking this step. Truth be told I was terrified of anyone actually reading it!!
Taking a step further, before I sent if off for assessment, I began to enlist the aide of "alpha readers"
These are people who will read your unedited, first draft manuscript. It is a brave move to give someone the unedited version, but well worth the while. It helps sort any issues with flow and plot and character development. Then you get the glorious job of editing out all of that!! Fun :)
Once you feel satisfied you have edited all the issues, send it to an assessment service, or if you don't want to pursue that avenue, I would heartily recommend sending it to be professionally edited.
Yes, I know you've just gone through the whole "but I just did edit the thing!!"
But it is vital, in my humble opinion, to have your work eyeballed by a professional. He/she will spot things a newbie writer may simply be unaware of. In the end it will bring out the true beauty of your manuscript.
I am still in the process of editing, and I'm very grateful to have the assistance of professionals with this part of it. Certainly though, there is a great deal of to'ing and fro'ing, but I think the end result will be worth it. A least I hope so!
One of the things I have enjoyed a great deal, is reading other author blogs. It is a great place to start when you are new to the game. Having said that, I'm not personally at the stage of doing interviews or blog hops yet, but it's all part of the process when you are further down the track and actually have your novel out there for people to read! I'm not in any hurry to get there either. For now, I am content to let the story unfold, as we all should be when in the "baby writer" stage :)
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