6 creative ways successful authors are seizing the day
A Letter from the Editor
by Timothy Pike
What separates a successful author from someone who only dreams of writing a book?
It sounds like the setup to a bad punchline, but I’m serious!
The answer is: a willingness to do what it takes—not only to get started, but to keep going even when the deck seems stacked against you.
Not everyone has the necessary willpower, but in this issue, we’re shining the spotlight on those who do.
Before we jump in, did you miss our #2xWordCountChallenge the first time around?
The news is good: it’s on again, so join us!
The #2xWordCountChallenge is a writing challenge where your word count goal doubles every week, meaning that in 12 weeks, you’ll have a finished novel.
It’s a great chance to meet other writers, improve your story with feedback, and take those all-important first steps toward becoming a published author. You can learn more about the Challenge here.
As you read the articles in this month’s issue, you may notice our author contributors have one thing in common: they’ll stop at nothing to hunt down success, wherever it may be hiding.
Here are 6 cases in point:
“The magic isn’t in that first draft—it’s in having the guts to let it be ugly. To let it be human. Only when it’s out, raw and real, can you start shaping it into something worth sharing. So don’t hold back. Let the words flood the page. That’s where writing begins.” —Marc MacDonald on writing like no one’s watching
“I am not sure, but I am taking advantage of it! ‘Strike while the iron is hot,’ they say, so that’s what I did.” —Bjorn Leesson, when asked how he manages to be so prolific
“I worked twelve hours a day just to make ends meet. Despite this, I managed to carve out time for my passion. After working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., I would write for another 2–4 hours. I called this time my ‘happy hours.’” —Tong Ge on how she refused to believe she didn’t have time to write
“You must write your experiences the way you personally remember them. Avoid overconcerning yourself at first with the objective facts. Focus instead on the subjective feelings of your experiences. So, go ahead: be true to you, and write your truth as you’ve experienced it.” —Belinda Betker on how to finish your memoir instead of dwelling on the “truth”
“Understanding conflict, and how to weave it into every element in your writing, can make that final, concluding battle that much more powerful.” —Jenna Greene, on how to layer conflict to make your story bang
“After one final rejection, I decided I’d had enough. It was time to stop waiting for someone else to validate my story’s worth. If my unconventional book didn’t fit into the existing publishing landscape, I’d create my own path.” —H.H. Rune, on blazing straight past the gatekeepers and carving out her own market niche
You can read these excellent articles by clicking on the above links.
If you like them, be sure to share them on social media! Your friends will surely find them helpful and entertaining, too.
Before you go, a reminder that registration for the #2xWordCountChallenge is closing soon, so join us today!
To your writing success,
Timothy Pike
Editor of Books & Buzz Magazine