Tune all of that out and decide what’s best for you, your book and your expectations for your writing career. It’s not hard to get engulfed in the social media noise around self-publishing versus traditional publishing. “Write first, edit last.”Ĭonsider whether self-publishing or traditional publishing is for you. Leave the editing to the end-or, at least, until you’re well into the flow of your book to the point of no return. As you’re getting settled into the flow of writing and the world your characters live in, just let your creative process be your guide, and don’t worry about nitpicking your manuscript with minute edits that will interrupt that flow. Even though your tap water starts out cold, it always heats up.Ī post shared by Felice Laverne on at 9:38am PSTĭon’t get caught up in editing your book.įirst-time writers often fall victim to worrying more about editing their books as they go than they do about the imagination and world-building involved in cranking out that book baby. Keep going, keep going, because it’s all about keeping up the momentum. Don’t stop push through those moments, because those moments come for every writer.

One thing I’ve learned about writing is that you have to keep writing, even when you think what’s spewing out is absolute crap.

Once you’re comfortable in your chosen style, you’re well on your way to writing that book you’ve been envisioning. But if you’re the kind of writer who is more comfortable following a set narrative arc with well-thought-out plot points, then plotting will likely be the way for you to go. Are you the kind of writer who feels restricted by rules and is bored to tears at the thought of writing an outline? Then pantsing may be for you. Decide which one you are by thinking about how either pantsing or plotting can work for your writing style. Pantsers tend to “fly by the seat of their pants” and write as they go without having a set plot in mind, while plotters tend to outline their book before starting to write anything at all. There are two camps of writers these days, known as pantsers and plotters. If writing a book is on your list of resolutions for 2020 here are some things to help get you in the mindset to execute the vision: A post shared by Felice Laverne on at 6:30am PSTĪs an author, book editor and literary agent, I have seen all the signs of a new writer in the making and have worked with dozens of them including editing books in all genres, working with authors such as MSNBC political analyst Zerlina Maxwell and YA Fantasy author Alexandra Overy.

The Other Americans by Felice Laverne