One of the most important things a writer can do in preparing to write their first novel is learn from writers who have done it before. You can learn simply by reading other works of fiction, whether these books are in your particular genre or not. I found that I was a more efficient writer during the draft phase of The Pride of Central when I was also reading a few chapters a day of other stories. You can also learn from other writers by reading their non-fiction books about writing or by hearing them at a seminar. Of course, you don't want to steal anyone's ideas, but seeing how other writers developed their ideas can help you develop yours.
There is a danger in this learning, and it is very subtle. It is a trap I fell into several times without realizing it until I was almost done with my manuscript. Without warning, your attempt to learn from an author can turn into comparing yourself to that author. This is never good, but for someone who has not been published yet, it can be devastating.
While reading helped inspire me to sit down and write my own manuscript, often the thought occurred to me, “What I'm writing is nowhere near as good as what I just read”. Another night, I'd think to myself, “That author I just read has already published several books. I still haven't published one. I'll never be what she is.” Too many nights of this can lead to the worst thought, “If I'm not as good as what all these other writers did, I should just quit now. Why bother when I'm not as good as them?”
And, truth be told, I did quit. Twice. Fortunately, I have encouraging family and friends who got me back to finishing The Pride of Central. I've held a copy of the book in my hands already, and I look forward to releasing the book to the public next month. But it all would have been a lot easier if I had stopped judging myself by what other writers had done. These are difficult thoughts to avoid. But if these thoughts are discouraging you from your writing, let me tell you what I realize about each of those negative thoughts now.
“What I'm writing is nowhere near as good as what I just read.” - Do you know why it's not as good? You're writing your draft. The book you're comparing to is in its final form. If you could see your favorite author's first draft, you might be surprised how similar its quality is to yours.
“The author I just read has already published several books...I'll never be what she is.” - The danger in this thought is that it is true. You will never be the author that the other person is. But that is a good thing. You are not writing her story. She is not writing your story. Chances are, you could not write what she did. But she probably cannot write the story you are developing. Writing your story is the goal, not becoming a different author.
“Why bother when I'm not as good as them?” - Even if you are unable to believe that you'll be the same kind of writer that you look up to, take a look around a book store or a library sometime. There are more books around than you can count. You can write better than some of those writers who have already been published. So don't worry about being the best author. Do your best to complete your own work. And maybe one day someone else will be learning from what you wrote.
Next week: My greatest hope is my greatest fear
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