I know, I know. There are countless websites about the above, and countless blogs giving advice. Me, I’m one of the ones scouring said websites and blogs to try to find information, and to be frank, it’s confusing. Some people say you MUST have a blog, and Facebook, and Twitter, and Google+, and a website with your own domain name, and that in order to be considered for publication you must have what is called a platform. Others say that for first-time fiction writers there is no such need, and that every case is considered on its own merit. Well, I’m a novice fiction writer, with a half-finished book that I would like to get out there to the world of agents and publishers one of these days (when it’s done, of course), and I don’t have a platform. Really, I don’t have much at all.
However, I’m trying. (Some would say I’m very trying, but that’s another story entirely.) While it may not be essential, who’s to say a blog wouldn’t help? If nothing else it will improve my writing, and perhaps might even get some people to recognise my name. That is, some people who aren’t related to me or on speed dial on my phone. Hence, this blog. I’ve also started tweeting under this name in order to try to help find my niche in this rather scary world of professional writing. Facebook and Google+ are yet to come, as is the webpage, but I figured I have to start somewhere.
My trouble, however, in establishing this platform, is the same trouble most people have. Time. While I’m not working at the moment, as I am still on leave following the birth of my youngest child nine months ago, I don’t exactly have a lot of spare time. I have resolved this year to spend at least one day each week writing, but that can only be during school term when I only have the baby at home with me, and even then I’d be lucky to get three hours writing in during the whole school day. Ideally I’d like to spend that time working on my novel, so that leaves blogging, tweeting and anything else as essentially extracurricular activities that need their own time allocated for them. At the moment, it’s school holidays and I’m lucky to get two hours a week on the computer, and then I spend much of that time doing horribly practical things like banking and ordering stick-on name labels for my children. Once term begins, I will have some more time. *crosses fingers*
I guess what I’m really doing here is, like my youngest son, taking baby steps. For him it’s literal, whereas for me it’s the figurative steps into a world I really know nothing about. And I will still devour blogs and websites that offer conflicting advice, and sift through trying to make my own sense of things and work out what’s best for me. I’m sure I’ll make mistakes along the way, but then again, who doesn’t? After all, I’m only human.
If you stumbled across this page, let me know if I made a real hash of this or not. After all, I’ve not blogged much before, and certainly not like this, so I know I have a lot to learn. But we all have to start somewhere, right?
You’re not making a hash of this at all.
Making a name of yourself and publishing, certainly has to be extremely hard. I mean, Rowling herself was put off 12 times.
I think it’s something all aspiring writers dread and I probably will be just as nervous as you are, provided that I will actually someday FINISH a story, of course
Any tips on that, by the way? How do you get yourself to write?
But back to the topic. What I actually wanted to say, was that I really, really like your style of writing and that if your OF is only half as good as the Fanfic you wrote, I’d definitely publish you!
Thank you! It’s been a little nerve-wracking, even getting to this point – and I’ve only just begun! However, like I said, I’m taking all baby steps so it doesn’t seem so daunting, hahaha. Your support means a lot to me, so thanks again just for checking this blog out and commenting. It’s more reassuring than you could possibly realise.
As for how I get myself to write, well it’s more a matter of finding time. I have a notebook almost full of ideas and scenes and the like, but I really struggle to get uninterrupted computer time. At least, during school holidays I don’t. Right now it’s just me and the baby here, and the baby’s asleep, so I have an hour or two to myself. I get it, though, that sometimes you’re sitting at the computer and the words don’t come. So in that case, don’t force it. You can do random writing, just whatever comes into your head, even if it’s “This is stupid, I don’t know what to say” seventeen times over. Sometimes just doing that is enough to get the juices flowing. Otherwise, read back a bit of what you’ve already done, or if it’s a story you’re just starting, write down those key scenes that you’ve already worked out. You know the ones, the scenes that came to you that made you want to write the story in the first place. Even if they’re nowhere near the start, just the process of getting your characters down on paper on on the screen in some sort of random order can really help. Hmmm. I just read this back and I’m not sure if it’s very useful or not, but hopefully you can get something helpful out of it.
And you’d publish me! THANK YOU!!! ♥ That’s really fantastic of you to say. I think this story is pretty good, but then again what I think and what the publishing world may think are not necessarily the same thing. However, having the support of people like you really does mean the world, like I said before. You’re one of the reasons I keep going. So thanks again – I’m just going to send a long overdue email, then I’m going to WRITE again! *is disproportionately excited* You’re the best. Thanks again.