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I receive many emails requesting information on how to start a craft business and almost an equal amount of email requesting information on how to write and publish a book, how to get started, etc. You might have a story lined up and you are aching to get it on paper. Getting started is easy. If you like to write, sit down and write. It’s that easy. Everyone has a story to tell. Or you might be reading this to figure out why your friend, mom, neighbor, coworker, boyfriend, girlfriend (or psychologist) is always talking about writing a book. The answer to that is easy: creating stories or music or art or a beautiful cabinet or a tranquil garden or building a boat from scratch or sculpting, or whatever, is what life is all about. That’s what humans do.
I have always loved reading and writing and have written countless essays, short stories, diaries, journals, letters, [blogs], published a novel, and have prepared outlines for many novels, beginning in my early teens. I started a science fiction story/novella when I was in the eighth grade that I worked on for close to a year. It’s lost in space somewhere (pun intended) but I would love to have it now. I remember it well but would love to see my own youthful handwriting and see if my writing style has changed at all. It was done in scented ballpoint pen on regular binder paper. Lots and lots of binder paper. Years ago during tough times (and pre-computer), I journaled myself to sleep many nights on a Selectric typewriter. Writing to me is a daily activity. I write to politicians, I email my family and friends (a lot), I work on story outlines and concept paragraphs and business letters and consumer complaint letters, on my website, and many other writings. (I love parentheticals.)
A few years ago I wrote and published a book and next to childbirth it was the best time of my life. The months leading to publication were similar to the months prior to birth except my water didn’t break. Writing (labor) was not as hard as publishing (delivery). Publishing was much more painful, though I didn’t require an episiotomy. The birth of a book is emotional and hard and worth all of the pain. Just like having kids.
I consider myself a storyteller, not a literary writer. I know I’m not James Joyce, but I’m also not Nora Roberts. Nora Roberts has her niche and she handles it well (and makes a tidy sum of money) but the content and style of the romance novel does not appeal to me. There are all kinds of writers and I can’t begin to cover the creative part of the process. I’d simply like to help those interested in following their dream. My limited area of expertise is the novel. I’m certain non-fiction production may be similar but with specific differences.
The mechanics of writing are important but can be learned--to an extent. If you have a fabulous story to tell you could hire a ghostwriter as a way to get your story out there. However, if you feel confident enough to write your own novel, do it. If it isn’t perfect there are editors who make a living correcting the little imperfections of the novice writer. (If you self-publish, you’ll be paying these editors yourself. I didn’t employ an editor and I may the next time. There are a few things in my first book I didn’t catch. Sort of makes me wince when I see them, but they are insignificant. Your kids probably aren’t perfect either). If you are writing something that will be picked up by an agent or a publishing house, they will have that done for you. More on that part of the process in later blogs.
www.sharonstrawhandgarner.com
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