Guest Post: Don’t Give Up! By Pamela Samuels Young

Yesterday we had the review of Murder on the Down Low by Pamela Samuels Young, 
and today she has graced us with a Guest Post!
It's really appropriate for this time of year, 
as we look at things we didn't complete last year, so enjoy!

Don’t Give Up!

By Pamela Samuels Young

It’s a new year and that novel you’ve been working on for months or maybe even years still isn’t finished. Perhaps you don’t know where to go next with your plot. Or maybe you’re just physically and emotionally drained from all the time and effort you’ve poured into this dream. You’re feeling more discouraged than ever and questioning whether you’ll ever get it done. I’ve been there!

Each time I fall into the writing dumps, I wonder if I’ll ever dig myself out. Fortunately, I always do and you will too. You’ve put too much time into this venture. Now is not the time to give up.  

Here are my top six tips for re-energizing yourself when you feel like giving up.

■ Read Inspirational Stories About Writing and Writers

Take a writing break and read about other successful writers who weathered the storm.  Here are three excellent books to get you started:

Knit Together: Discovery God’s Pattern for Your Life by Debbie Macomber.

This book was such an inspiration to me. Macomber, a best selling writer with more than 100 million books in print, openly shares her story of writing rejection.  Once you read about her writing journey, you’ll close the book anxious to get back to your own novel.

Rotten Reviews & Rejections, edited by Bill Henderson and Andre Bernard. This book shares the rejection letters and stinging reviews received by many successful and prolific writers, from Stephen King to Upton Sinclair to James Joyce and more. You’ll scratch your head at the discouraging rejection letters these wonderful writers received. They didn’t give up, and you shouldn’t either.

How I Got Published: Famous Authors Tell You in Their Own Words. When you read the stories of how these successful writers persevered, you will know that you can do it too.

■ Don’t Strive for Perfect Prose

Many new writers think that everything that flows from their computer must be golden.  Hence, if they write a few pages which don’t sound worthy of a Pulitzer, they’re disappointed. Forget about writing a perfect first draft.  The most important part of writing is rewriting. Just concentrate on finishing a first draft. Then revise, revise and revise again until you’re pleased with the final product.

■ Set a Writing Goal  

Make a commitment to write a set number of hours or pages per week. Can you commit to writing 10 pages per week or find five hours each week to write? Don’t worry about not having as much time as you like. If you only have time to jot down your thoughts during your lunch break, use it.  Whatever goal you set, just make sure it’s realistic.  Start out small and once you get into the flow of things, increase the goal. And if you fall short one week, don’t beat yourself up. There’s always next week.

■ Start a Writer’s Group

Put the word out that you’re looking to start a writer’s group. Tell friends, family members and colleagues that you’re looking for three or four serious writers who would like to build a supportive writing environment for themselves and other writers. You’ll probably have a lot of interest in the beginning, but only the serious writers will be around for the long haul. Establish a regular meeting time (at least once a month) and require at least two members to produce work for the group to critique each month. 

■ Think About Your Story

Most people assume that if they’re not putting words on paper, then they’re not
“writing.”  I don’t feel that way. The next time you’re taking a long walk, standing in a grocery store line, or stuck in traffic, use the time to mull over your story. Think about your characters or your plot. Imagine your protagonist having a conversation. Think about how you might describe a room. Challenge yourself to invent a predicament that creates conflict for your character.  If you come up with some great ideas, don’t forget to write them down.

■ Study The Writing Craft

There will be times when you just don’t feel like writing (operative word don’t, not can’t). When this happens, use your free time to study the writing craft. Select a book in your genre that you think is particularly good and study the writer’s technique. How does she hook you at the end of the chapter? What makes his descriptions compelling? An hour or so of this type of study may just cause your own juices to start flowing.

Above all, just keep writing and never, never, never give up!