List of books and upcoming books

Advice for beginners

The one thing I get from a lot of upcoming writers is do you have any advice for someone starting out? My answer is yes. Most people that start off writing aren't sure if they're any good at writing. The truth is, no one starts off good at writing. In fact, we all start off bad. Trust me on this.

Writing is a process. It takes time to cultivate the craft. The minute someone writes a story, they walk around saying they have a passion for writing. Don't do this. First, in order to have a passion for something you have to do it constantly. You have to be constantly thinking about it. Even when you are discouraged, you still think about it. It's like breathing, you can't go a day without it.

Now we all encountered people that love to critique us. There are the ones that give feedback about errors. I'm talking about you, unauthorized editors. You're so set on the errors, you're not helping. In fact, it kills motivation. Editing fixes errors and writing goes through several edits before the final version is released. For someone like me, I usually throw out a rough draft. Shocking, I know. But why edit a terrible story?

The feedback I'm looking for is if the story is decent or not. I know I have errors. Trust me, I know.

I prefer the type of feedback if a story is something they enjoy. It's always hard to gauge a reaction from a reader. You never know.  I also found out people like different genres, but one they all like is originality and relatable stories. 

Most writers stick to one idea, which is actually the worst thing you can do. When you limit yourself on writing, you limit creativity.  I choose not to do that. I like to be creative in all aspects, hence why I have so many stories and more to come.

There is nothing wrong with branching out in other genres and all age groups.  I have all ages, ethnic backgrounds, and different countries reading because they have a variety of stories to read.

Another thing that helps is updating frequently. While a schedule is nice, it's not always feasible. I have a busy life, just like everyone else. I have to write around that, so a schedule is not conducive for me. Plus, I don't want the pressure of a deadline, especially with having a family and a full-time job.

When it comes to family, they always come first, then the job, followed by writing. It's all about balance.

Writing shouldn't be a chore. It should be fun and enjoyable. If you don't enjoy it, it will show to the readers. So, enjoy being creative and go back and edit later.

The best quote I found was, "You can't edit a blank page."  This is so true. So, edit a written one 😉.