Rookie mistakes. We all make them.
Mine? Writing a novel without ever studying structure. Surely this was something I’d just know by osmosis from all that reading and those English classes I took.
Wrong.
Turns out, I hadn’t a clue.
I came close. Maybe even serviceably close. But I didn’t know a lot and it showed (once I knew more).
Did I query that manuscript? Sure did.
Whoops!
This weekend, I had the benefit of hearing a literary agent speak at a local gathering of writers. She said the queries she knows she can skip in her stuffed-to-the-gills inbox are the ones who seem to proudly admit “this is my first book and you are my first reader!” First, bad query form. Second, first reader? 🚩 🚩 🚩
Definite rookie mistake.
I’m sure you have made a few rookie mistakes of your own.
Whether it was sending out queries before the manuscript was ready (because we often don’t know when it’s ready when we’re brand new) or even finished or maybe skipping a learning stage in the haste to get the story down or even attempting the hardest story structures on our first go rather than practicing on a simpler story first. We all do it. It’s how we learn.
But how can you avoid repeating these mistakes or rushing into them in the first place?
I have two easy and simple solutions:
- Be curious. If you aren’t sure what the process for querying looks like, do a quick internet search. Not sure how to handle emotion on the page? Take a class. Read blogs. Join writing groups. Attend conferences, go to panels and author readings. Seek out as much information as you can on the process, the craft, and the business.
- Ask for help. Enlist beta readers. Editors. A critique partner. A coach. Join a writing group. Whatever your writing conundrum, seek someone out to help you. There are plenty of resources out there to help you find the right kind of help. And despite writing looking like a solitary endeavor, it never is. Even Hemingway had Max Perkins, friends like Gertrude Stein and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and a wife, or mistress/future wife (who was also probably a writer depending on what year it was), to support his work.
If YOU need help, I’m here. Whether you need to augment your craft, stay accountable, or find a way through a revision, let me help you avoid making rookie mistakes. Or repeating them.
I help writers in a few ways:
- This Newsletter – My goal is to share advice, pep talks, my own journey, silly gifs, in order to create a space where it’s safe to ask questions and find tidbits to help your writing journey.
- The Revision Road Map – My mini-course allows you to level up your revision process on your own and at your own pace.
- Start Your Novel With Confidence – A short commitment, low price point opportunity that gives you a taste of feedback and the coaching relationship. Perfect for writers who need a little guidance, want to sample coaching, or need a gut check to see that their idea or draft is on a solid foundation before they continue with their draft or revision.
- Manuscript Evaluations – A short time commitment for you (I do all the work!) and a higher touch of your manuscript. You’ll get honest feedback of what’s working and what needs to be addressed in your next revision pass along with recommendations on how to tackle any needed changes.
- In-Depth Coaching – whether it’s a Prep for Success package to detail your story before you start writing or in-depth Revision Coaching, these personalized one-on-one coaching packages are designed to dig into your specific needs and process to help your writing grow stronger.
My goal is to arm you with the tools and confidence you need to accomplish your writing goals. It’s all about you and your process.
Want to upgrade your writing from rookie status this summer?
Schedule a free discovery call and let’s talk through your needs to see if I can help. If I can’t, I am always happy to point you to someone else who might be a better fit.
In the meantime, keep writing and learning!
Featured photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash