Yesterday I received an email from fellow writer Andrea Black, I replied to her email but I’d like to share it with you because I think it’s a question a lot of people might have:
Basically Andrea asked me “how do you get started, and how do you find a focus?”
First I would like to say I’m honored that you think I have such a focus and have a knack for writing, I often feel I have no idea what I’m doing.
Second: My answer to Andrea as well as to other struggling/lost/confused (what have you) writers is to just write what you want. A lot of time people say pick a focus but honestly how can you “pick a focus” before you know where your talent lies.
I write what I love, I write what the reader in me (who I like to think has amazing taste) loves. My reader self has such high taste, I’m extremely picky, I might try to read everything but it’s rare that I truly fall in love with & buy a book. So I would say let your reader self decide, if what you are writing is something you would read (and be ruthless in deciding this) then you are on the right track. If not…STOP NOW.
If you wouldn’t want to read it why should you expect anyone else to want to read it???
We all have been there/go there, all writers feel lost at times. The key is that us writers who produce a lot, are the ones who continuously write and are dedicated to learning more about the industry. I might not be published but I write a lot, and I am constantly reading other writer/agent/editor blogs as well as keeping up on publishing industry news. Because if this is something you’re serious about you can afford to dedicate time to it.
But in addition to everything previously said, it’s extremely important that you finish whatever you’re working on. Don’t start writing something without finishing or at least don’t start writing something then stop before giving it the chance to become “full grown”.
I hope this has been helpful. One person’s “success” story might not be another’s but these are the things that have worked for me. I love writing about worlds inside of other worlds which is why I write so much contemporary fantasy/sci-fi. It’s my way of making sense of the world around me, alluding to things teenagers and middle grade children go through…it’s how I work out the “gnarls” of life.
Thank you for asking me, Andrea! And best of luck to everyone 
–Patrice
