DAY 18 at Camp NaNoWriMo – Seven Secrets to Becoming A Better Writer

TWO THOUSAND WORDS today – and that was wrapped around a whole mess of housework as well. That brings me up to 33,700 words. Today the second half of the book took shape without me even knowing how it happened.

In the second half of the book the voice turned from first person to third in a very natural way. It means that when I revise the second draft I will have to rewrite the first draft in third person – I expect – but that is just fine. The plot developments have REALLY got me excited.

So – without further ado – here are my seven secrets to becoming a better writer.

1 – WRITE EVERY DAY.

2 – HONE YOUR CRAFT.

3- HAVE AN IDEA WHERE YOU ARE GOING.

4 – BE READY WHEN IT SURPRISES YOU.

5 – DO NOT REVISE UNTIL THE FIRST DRAFT IS COMPLETELY WRITTEN.

6 – FINISH WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED.

7 – WRITE EVERY FREAKING DAY!

I would elaborate more upon this – however, I have plans this evening. I need to go and buy some cinder blocks at Kent and we’re going to have some fish and chips as well.

So I am just waiting for my wife to come home from work.

I promise to write a bit more about this list in the next few days.

I will say one thing. EVEN if you can’t write everyday – AIM to. Just the simple act of saying to yourself “I am going to put 300 more words on that manuscript this morning” is going to keep your engine running – even on the mornings when you have go and put out one of those many fires that life and circumstances love to set.

In the meantime, why don’t you take a look at this super-cool periodic table of storytelling?

Click one of those elements and see what it has to say.

And it is funny – but I just cannot look at a periodic table these days without thinking of BREAKING BAD.