There are many myths when it comes to writing, but here are 5 big ones:
Myth #1 Writing is Easy. I’m going to be rich!
False. Writing is ridiculously difficult. It is a craft and despite being a gifted storyteller, you have to spend thousands of hours perfecting the craft. A good book is so easy to read and seems so simple that its misleading to some people. It took a lot of dedication to get a story to that point. Even when you get published, it can take several books before you can even earn a living as an author. If you love writing this shouldn’t matter. Keep working hard!
Myth #2 It’s ok to post pieces of your work online or on private forums.True & False. If you publish your novel or excerpts on the web, a forum, or even a private area–it is considered published and protected as such under information protection laws. The worst part is that if you ever get picked up for a traditional book deal and don’t reveal this information, you can lose the deal and get blacklisted or sued. Protect your work. You should go to copyright.gov before working with betas. For about $150 usd, you can get a preemptive copyright.
Myth #3 Indie Authoring will hurt Traditional Publishing Deals.
False. This is not true at all. You can self publish and if your book grows in popularity you can still sell the book rights to a publisher, or movie rights to a film maker. Don’t be fooled though, neither road will be easy. Don’t just publish because you think its done and ready. Its a big mistake. People recognize unrefined junk and even a good cover won’t make you money. Put in the time and effort. Take it very serious.
Myth #4 I don’t need a professional editor. I have Betas and friends.
False. This is fine for a few drafts, but if you want to be taken seriously and have a shot at producing a professional piece of fiction literature–you need to get a professional editor. You can expect to spend about $700-1000 USD. This investment is well worth it, but do your research to find a reputable editor that can make edits without destroying your unique voice. There are some very successful authors like J.F. Penn who outline more about this and even mention their editors.
Editors are worth their time in gold. They will give you great feedback, help with reconstructing or organizing thoughts and phrases, and they catch things you can’t after reading the same piece over and over. Just remember, you get what you pay for.
Myth #5 I need to write 1000 words a day to become successful.
False. In my opinion, 1000 words a day (avg) is not even the start of taking your craft seriously. This is fine if you are young and new, or just starting to regiment yourself. There is a difference between teaching yourself dedication and learning the craft. Studies show that 10,000 hours of practice are key to “making it” in any craft.
This means if you practice 1 hour a day it would take 27 years. This is NOT 1 hour of blogging, Forum posts, or essays. This is 1 hour of serious creative writing. If you love writing, you are probably writing much more. If you want to be published, you really need to dedicate your priority to the craft.
Read about more Writing Myths by Jean Nicole Rivers.>>
Why do I mention this?
This is not to be discouraging. I run into many different writers and some can be potentially incredible.
Some of the biggest problems or signs of problems are:
•he writer will seem to hate the hard work of writing–the nitty gritty of constructing words, editing, and refining stories.
•They spend 12 hours a day on writing forums
•They are in despair because they are in a, impulse rush to quit their day job.
•They get bored of their own work. If its boring to the writer, it’ll bore the reader more.
Simple Tips to Success:
• Love the craft of writing
• Study the craft of writing
• Apply your passion and what you learned
• Be dedicated and disciplined
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Comment by S.R. Croft on October 23, 2012 at 11:17 am
Thanks, happy to help.
Yes, it takes about 700-2000 USD for professional Editing, but it it well worth the cost. -
Comment by Jae on October 23, 2012 at 3:57 pm
This is a great post. I hope a lot of newer aspiring authors come across it. It’s quite a wake-up call to many to realize that even if you do get an agent, it’ll still likely be another year before your book is published and another year after that before you start seeing it make any money (since the publisher takes back their advance they paid you first before paying you anything). And even if you are a success, you’re probably still not going to be making more than $30,000 a year for awhile(and that’s if you’re lucky). Yes, there’s always the chance you’ll suddenly hit it big, but it isn’t anything to bet on. Usually your chances of hitting it big are increased if you’ve actually spent time honing your craft and worrying about the nit-picky things.
And your comment on editors, agreed 100%. Although I didn’t have to pay that much… but I still made vast improvement over my skills and she taught me a lot on how to edit things myself. I will probably end up using her a second time before querying out my novel.
Again, thanks for the post. Well worth reading.
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Comment by S.R. Croft on October 23, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Jae, I appreciate hearing from you. You’re right–it can be discouraging at first, but for those of us with a love and passion–it’s just part of the journey. I’m glad to here you had a good experience with an editor. This prices do vary, but so do their skill level and what they can do for you. Some will edit, but not leave your unique voice intact. Some with edit, but not restructure.
Thanks again for your comment!
