A reader writes:
I don't know how else to put this but I've lost faith in my writing. When I read a friend's first published book, that was one thing but when I read the examples of good and bad writing on your blog, well I suddenly realised that I was dreaming when it came to writing. I started my first book over one year ago and for a time I was well into writing but then the novelty dropped and although I still have the urge to carry on I wonder what is the point. I have written over 20,000 words of a story that I believed in for some time; I actually thought I was doing all right but I realise that I don't have the skills. Although I allowed a friend to read what I've written so far, and who replied favourably, I really think he might have been kind about it. I have no way to gauge my writing at all. He was in no way critical, just telling me he wanted to read more of it.
I don't know what I am saying here. I need some encouragement and I definitely need some criticism to help me tune my way of writing, or for someone to tell me to 'not give up the day job'.
First of all, faith has nothing to do with it. Writing (like all other art) is 10% inspiration and 90% persperation. You're just starting out. Naturally your writing won't be as good as someone who's been writing for decades. That doesn't mean you can't write, nor does it mean you don't have a story to tell. It means you need to keep practicing.
Hardly any first novels get published. Those that are published generally are massively re-written several times. There's a saying that you have to write a million words before you begin to have success. I don't know if that number is accurate, but I believe the gist of the saying is true.
The snippets I've seen of your book are very good. I'd never guess from them that you were a beginning writer. Which means you probably have the native talent, you just need more (say it with me now) practice.
Have you looked around to see if there's a critique group near you? Check that out, because I can say that I've learned more about writing from critiquing others' work than any single other thing. I'm not exaggerating. We're all naturally blind to our own work--often times both to what works and to what fails. It's easier to spot problems in others' work....and then after awhile, you gain that skill and can start finding the problems in your own.
You need to give yourself permission to learn the ropes. But if what you want is to get published, you need to keep practicing and keep working on your book. You can't get discouraged because you're not as good as your favorite writers. They once wrote just like you do now. They might even have written worse; who knows? I know I've written some real turkeys of things.
I knew from the age of about 9 or 10 that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. So why didn't I sell my first book until I was (mumble) years old? Because I didn't apply the seat of my trousers to the seat of the chair enough for many many years. There's another saying that it takes 7 (some say 10) years from the time you get really serious about writing until you can expect to sell your first book. On average, of course. Some people take less, some more.
All this to say you're just beginning, and you need to give yourself the time and space to learn how to write and how to be a writer. I believe in your work, I really do. You sometimes will, and sometimes you'll want to chuck the whole thing. We all feel that way sometimes....even the best writers. But to go back to where I started, most of writing is work, not that inspired feeling we get occasionally. If we only wrote when we felt that insipiration, there wouldn't be enough books in the world to satisfy people. If you approach it as a part-time job, something you need to do an hour a day after work and a couple hours one or both days on the weekend, you WILL get better at what you do. As with anything else: practice pays off.
Finally, a word of completely practical advice: Don't quit your day job. Most books you see on the shelves at shops are written by folks with day jobs. Very very few writers can live on their earnings. Don't focus on making money at writing; focus on writing...and practicing writing!
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