There is nothing quite like a good story. As I mentioned in the last post, there are many writers who are fantastic story tellers and so, despite less proficiency as writers from a literary standpoint, they still manage to find success through their skill at crafting compelling tales. You don’t have to be a literary master to come up with a good story.

However, don’t misunderstand what this means. It does not mean that your amazing story Idea will give you a pass on bad, sloppy or lazy Writing. Writing is hard work, like any art form. Ideas will only get you so far. Let me give you an example. Imagine in your mind the most beautiful painting of a sunset in Paris. It is quite possible that in your mind you have formed an image of a genuinely stunning and powerful work of art. Now, go and paint it. Not so easy, is it?

The gap between a good idea and the execution of that idea is significant.In order to be able to translate your ideas into well crafted sentences, paragraphs and chapters, you have to work hard at it. And not only will you have to work hard on the idea itself, but long before you even begin writing your great idea, you need to work hard at honing your craft.

Over the last decade or so, I have published several books in non-fiction, as well as a few works of fiction, yet some of my most beloved Book ideas have yet to see the light of day for the simple fact that I know I am not yet ready to tackle them. I want to develop the craft more through time and effort.Having reasonable expectations about what you can accomplish is important. That is not to say you should not try and stretch yourself in your art. Instead, it is a matter of being willing to do the hard work to improve your skills. This does not mean that natural talent doesn’t play a part, but it is less important than you might think. In her essential resource, “How To Publish A Book”, publishing guru Jane Friedman reminds us:

“Surprisingly, talent may be less relevant in determining how close you are to a traditional publishing contract than two other factors: how much time you put into writing and whether you read enough to understand where you lie on the spectrum of quality.”

I’ll be honest with you: When I read advice like this as a new author, I often skipped it. My reaction would generally be one of two things: either I would brush it off as stating the obvious (“Of course it is hard work!”); or I would ignore it, hoping/believing (even unconsciously) that my work would be the exception to the rule- that my first novel would be a bestseller right out of the gate.

Resist these impulses at all costs! While the latter response clearly leaves you exposed to putting out work unworthy of your reader or yourself as the writer, the first response can be more subtly dangerous. Even if you acknowledge the wisdom that writing is a craft that requires hard work, don’t skip past the content in books or courses that address it. Why? Because too often you skip it assuming it is just a lecture about working hard, practicing, writing every day, etc. While these elements are certainly present (and important enough to be reminded of on a regular basis), there is generally a wealth of wisdom available for you to improve your craft if you take the time and research it.

There are countless examples of such resources that I could give, but I want to focus on a few. Beyond these, do some research. Go online and find out what other writers have found helpful. Find out what works for you. And be willing to spend money on training, books, videos, etc. that serve that end, because they are a worth while investment into your work. Here are just a couple that have been helpful for me:

Books on Writing: Two books that I have found especially helpful on the craft of writing have been “On Writing” by Stephen King and “Stein On Writing” by Sol Stein. Interestingly, these two books often contradict each other. For example, King cites John Grisham positively in his work, where Stein cites Grisham as an example of bad writing. I tend to favor King’s work, as I find him more honest and less pretentious than Stein. However, Stein brings important experience and insight that King often misses. Together, these books pack a two-fisted punch.

Writing Courses: While you will be able to find many courses in your own region, I want to point you toward an online course that are readily available in your own home at the push of a button. As I have already mentioned, Jane Friedman’s “How To Publish A Book” (which is part of the Great Courses series), has been immensely helpful. The audio lectures are engaging, thorough, accessible and very practical. It comes with a PDF textbook nearly 200 pages long. It is extremely affordable, especially if you happen to have an Audible account. Again, this is but one of MANY courses available online.

In the end, you will get out of your writing career only as much as you invest into it. Don’t cut corners. Don’t be in a rush. Take a breath, settle in and do what is necessary to become the best writer you can be.

What tools, resources, etc. have been most helpful to your writing career?

As always, be sure to sign up for my weekly Email Newsletter  for exclusive content.