Laura Griffin | Breaking in this New Year: Tips for Aspiring Writers
Are you one of those voracious readers who believes that somewhere, deep down, you have a book inside you? If you are, I’ve got some tips about how to break into the business this year.Tell Laura about one of your favorite childhood reads, and you’ll be eligible to win a free autographed copy of her upcoming release, WHISPER OF WARNING (Pocket Star Books). Comment below or Click Here
As Susan Sontag once said, “Writers begin as bewitched readers,” and I know this was certainly the case for me. I can remember combing the dusty bookshelves in my grandmother’s house and making a discovery that would impact my life: a complete collection of Nancy Drew mysteries. What books influenced you as a kid? I love asking book lovers this question, and I’m always amazed by the varied responses. Now for those tips I promised. If you follow these suggestions, I can’t guarantee that you’ll land that elusive book deal. But I can guarantee you’ll be several steps closer than you were before:
- Join a writers group. Surrounding yourself with professional and aspiring authors is a great way to kick your butt into gear. Many writers groups offer monthly seminars about the craft of writing and the publishing industry. Writers groups are a wonderful place to network, gain motivation, and (if you want) get linked up with critique partners who can help you polish your work. Personally, I’m a member of my local chapter of Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America. And for those of you in remote areas, there are many online writers groups.
- Take a writing class. “Yeah, right. Like I have time for a writing class,” you’re probably saying. Well, are you committed to becoming a professional writer or not? If so, you have to invest some time in honing your skills. Here’s the good news, though. There are hundreds of classes available online. Check out www.writersonlineclasses.com and (for the aspiring mystery writer) www.rwamysterysuspense.org, for an amazing array of classes.
- Read within your genre. What’s a genre? It’s the type of fiction you’re writing, such as mystery, romance, paranormal romance, thriller, fantasy, erotica, inspirational… the list goes on. You probably already know where your work fits in. I’d be willing to bet that the genre you want to write in is what you like to read. That’s good, by the way, because it’s critical to know what is going on in your genre. What do the fans love, and what do you yourself enjoy as a reader?
- Write every day! Even if it’s just to jot down a story idea or a scrap of snappy dialogue between two characters who have been rattling around in your head. The more you write, the easier it is. A full length novel is 90,000 words or more, so it’s important to get into the discipline of getting words on a page. But don’t let the sheer size of the task intimidate you. Every single novel begins with a lonely first sentence.
- Get an agent. Okay, so you’ve written that story that has been percolating in your head for years. Now what? It’s time to get a literary agent. (Please see my web site at www.lauragriffin.com for tips on this very important step.)
- Don’t give up. I know this sounds trite, but I truly believe it’s the most important tip of all. Publishing is a very competitive business, and talented people get weeded out all the time simply because they allow one or two rejections to derail them. Keep in mind that it only takes one interested editor to buy your book. Almost all successful authors (John Grisham, Stephen King, and Allison Brennan, to name a few) had their first efforts rejected, but the reason you’ve heard of them today is that they persevered. You can, too. So take a deep breath, fire up your computer, and start writing the book from your heart.
Laura Griffin is the award-winning author of numerous romantic suspense novels, including WHISPER OF WARNING, which hits bookshelves on March 31.
Leave your favorite childhood books below and be eligible to win a copy of WHISPER OF WARNING
Labels: Laura Griffin, whisper of warning
posted by Sara Reyes @ 12:01 AM
32 Comments:
Thanks, Laura, for your encouraging words. I should start every morning with just such an impetus.
One of my favorite childhood reads was "Anne of Green Gables" and the "Little House" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I also loved al books by Dorothy Daniels, which is where my love for Intrigue/suspense tinged with romance began,
Julie R.
Hi Julie,
I loved Anne of Green Gables! And of course (being named Laura) I was very intrigued by the whole Laura Ingalls series. I worshipped Melissa Gilbert from the TV show and had a crush on her beaux... Almonzo, was it? Anyway, thanks for your comment and I'll enter you in the drawing for the free book!
Happy Reading!
--Laura
I loved Anne of Green Gables too, as well as the next series, Emily of New Moon. I was also a total freak for the Trixie Belden books-- and, sadly I must admit, the entire Sweet Valley High Series.
Hi Tracy! I had forgotten Sweet Valley High! I always liked the quiet twin sister. Yikes. But whatever gets kids reading, right? Thanks for your comment, and I'll put you in a drawing for a free book.
--Laura
Thank you for the reminder that the best way to get published is not to give up. It's so easy to feel discouraged and important to remember that persistence pays off.
I read PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in the fourth or fifth grade and then blazed through the rest of Jane Austen's novels. I think that instilled lifelong my love of romance and of historical novels. And it may be when I decided I wanted to write novels myself one day.
Of course, I loved Nancy Drew--THE MYSTERY OF THE HOLLYWOOD HORSE stands out in my memory--and Trixie Beldon, too. I missed ANNE OF GREEN GABLES somehow, though.
I was a very eclectic reader as a child, thus I had many favorites. In addition to the aforementioned ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (and the following books in the series), I also read all of the kids mystery series--Trixie Belden, Cherry Ames, the Bobbsey Twins, the Three Detectives, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and too many others to recall right now. I lapped up all of the stories as fast as I could read them.
Hi there,
Yes, in response to "Denniesx", persistence is so important in this business! Every published author I know has tales of unsold manuscripts and rejection letters. But don't give up! I loved Jane Austen novels, too, though I was so young when I read them, I think a lot of the stories went over my head. I should sit down and re-read them again now. Did you ever read Georgette Heyer? Thanks for commenting, and I'll enter you in the drawing for Whisper of Warning!
--Laura
Hi Denise,
You read a lot of mysteries! I never got around to the Hardy Boys, sad to say. But I read all the Nancy Drew, including the contermporary ones. Thanks for commenting and I'll enter you in the drawing for a free book!
Laura,
Denniesx is Jane Sevier. I can't figure out how to get my real name to show on the post.
I don't remember reading Georgette Heyer when I was young. Nora Lofts was a favorite and a wonderful writer. I realize now that she wrote romance, although at the time, I thought of her books as historical novels. If I was actually sophisticated enough then to think "this is historical fiction," that is. ;-)
I have several of Nora Lofts's books on my shelf and keep thinking I'll reread them some day. Of course, with all the wonderful new books like yours coming out all the time, it's sometimes hard to get back to old favorites.
I loved Nancy Drew, too! Especially because I had my mom's copies for the earliest ones. But I also loved Lloyd Alexander's Prydain books...anyone read those?
Hi Jane,
I missed Nora Lofts's books somehow, but I'll have to check them out. I've got plenty of new releases on my TBR pile though. And with Susan Elizabeth Phillip's new book coming out soon, too...It will take me ages to catch up! :-)
Hi Abby,
I think I missed the Prydain books. Did Lloyd Alexander write Westmark? That rings a bell. Anyway, thanks for commenting and I'll enter you in the drawing!
Lofts is an English writer. Her books had long been out of print, but Touchstone has issued a few reprints in the last couple of years.
My favorite childhood book to read was the Box car children I don't remember who wrote it? I loved it and read it to my 2 girls when they were little. When I was little we had a wooden small house made into the library they had an old wooden bench and I use to sit on it and read that book while Mom use to look for romance books! I loved that old library Now it's made into a house and they added more rooms to it.
All the best
Penney
Thanks, Laura!
Penney, my son LOVED the Box Car children when he was younger, but I don't remember who wrote them. I think they were written by different people.
Julie
Hi Penny,
I remember The Boxcar Children! My mom read that to us when we were kids. I checked the author, and the original creator was Gertrude Chandler Warner, but the story became a franchise. You also reminded my of another favorite, The Five Little Peppers.
Thanks for commenting, and I'll enter you in the drawing!
--Laura
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by EL Konisburg. Reading that book made me want to run away and live in either a museum or a mall. I found a copy at a book sale a few years ago and loved re-reading it. It is a bit dated but still reads well.
Thanks for the tips!
Typical of most boys, I didn’t read much. It was more fun out catching spiders and snakes. It wasn’t until high school when I found I enjoyed science fiction/adventure especially Asimov. Then I started writing. Mostly editorials but a few stories found their way to paper.
After high school it just kind of got lost in the day-to-day life of working and family. A few years ago I started thinking seriously about retirement. I realized I would need something to keep me busy so I started writing again, even managed to get the romance into the scifi/adventure.
Yes, the Five Little Peppers. And lest we forget---Little Women. Julie
hmm, if we look at what would be YA books, it would Bobbsey twins, Trixie Belden, Tom Swift, Hardy Boys...I wasn't much for the Nancy Drew ones, I think I read those one time through and that was it. Nancy was not of my world and I didn't like hers. The others I'd re-read. Also, loved Burroughs and not the Tarzan ones, the others off planet. Not so much for Laura Inghalls either. Too close to home I guess, we heated our house with a wood stove and having suffered through blizzards not so much fun to read about them.
When I made it to a library (we lived in the country and it was a TRIP to the library) I'd get Jane Aiken Hodge, Elswyth Thane -- Tryst and the Lost General are my favorites outside the Williamsburg novels.
Also quite enjoyed the World Book Encyclopedia, besides many copies of the King James bible, WBE was the only set of books we had in the house.
And I was good at the Bible, had to read it through each year. I still have the plaques commemorating my top prizes in Bible Quizzing to the amusement of my agnostic children and the befuddlement of my husband. *grin*
I enjoyed both Nancy Drew and The Hardy boys books while growing up. tWarner419@aol.com
Thanks for posting.
I loved Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, and all the Christopher Pike books.
I forgot about The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler! My fourth grade teacher read that aloud to our class. Is it still in print? I should hunt down a copy...
Hi Roberta,
I read Stephen King as a kid, too! My first one was Pet Semetary, and unfortunately I decided to read it while at summer camp. So of course, the scenes in the woods scared the tar out of me.
Hi Laura,
My favorite book from childhood is "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. I also liked "The Outsiders."
Hi Jane,
Loved Where the Wild Things Are! I saw an interview with Sendak once in which he said he modeled the wild things after all of his aunts and uncles who used to come up and pinch his cheeks when he was a kid.
Where the Wild Things Are was my favorite too! I just recently found giant pillows for my own children of the characters in the Wild Things (they aren't scary looking though). Another childhood favorite was The Giving Tree, which actually led to Where the Sidewalk Ends, my first real introduction to poetry. What I love is how one book leads to another and you continue to develop your love for reading as you discover new worlds and genres! Love this blog!
Laura, thanks for all the tips on writing. Did you find that working at a newspaper helped you in developing your discipline of writing every day? How do you stay motivated?
Hi there,
Shel Silverstein is the best! Thanks for reminding me about him. As for my background in journalism, it's definitely helped me as a fiction writer. I'm accustomed to tight deadlines, which helps. But also, I like to interview people. When I don't know something I need for a story, I try and track down an expert who does.
Thanks for your comments!
I am going to have to say Little Women was one of my favorites. But early child hood I will have to say The Little Red Hen was a favorite. When I was about 14 I read Gone With The Wind and this is what got me hooked on reading romance. Loved that book and still do. I haven't read it in years though.
Hi Virginia,
Little Women is a very special book. My grandmother gave me her copy when I was in fourth grade, and I'm very sentimental about it. My favorite character was Jo, I think. Certainly an early feminist...And Gone With the Wind, too! I have the new book Rhett Butler's People, but haven't read it yet. Not sure it's possible to improve on Margaret Mitchell.
Thanks for responding!
Thanks for the suggestions, Laura. Your picture is lovely--but you're even better looking. My favorite books as a chil were AA Milne's--Winnie the Pooh and all the others.
I look forward to reading your latest!
Jane (Myers Perrine)
Jo was definitely my favorite character! Kind of the same feisty independence as Anne of GG. I still have my old copies from when I was little, though they don't have the same sentimental value as having belonged to my grandmother.
Julie
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home