Blog by VONNIE DAVIS -- International, Award-Winning Romance Author: Adventurous...Humorous...Amorous.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Wednesday Writerly Wisdom

When I decided to focus more on my blog and organize its schedule, for some demented reason this title came to mind. Since then I've been asking, what the heck was I snorting? Chocolate chip cookies? Brownies? Peach pie? I mean, what do I know about writing?

Before I got my first book contract not quite five years ago, I was full of writing advice. Dearhearts, I thought I knew it all. Pffffttttt. Fool woman!

Now, seventeen titles later, I'm aware of how little I know. So what wisdom do I have to impart? What gems of helpful information can I share to make your life easier? I'm glancing around as I write this, wondering how the heck I painted myself into this corner.

One thing I've had to accept are the moments, the days, the weeks of self-doubt as a writer. Sometimes I feel as if the quality of my writing is going backwards instead of getting better. Do you ever think that as you pour over your writing?

We all know the learning curve of a good writer is continual. Right? I mean it only takes a few rounds with a good editor to teach you that fact. Especially if you're fortunate enough to get a good editor who can see with his or her editorial eye what your story is lacking.

So when I get down on myself and what talent I possess, I've learned to look on it as part of my writerly growth because the "less than" feelings spur me to improve at something...to write deeper emotion...to develop multi-layered characters...to create better endings.

To get better, I keep writing.

And writing.

My mantra becomes "You are capable." No, I'm not as good as I'd like. Will I ever reach that point? Who knows. But I am capable.

So are you.

In your weakest moments...in your darkest hours of self-doubt...the times you stare at that wordless computer screen...or deal with the mental wall of no ideas ... you are capable.

WRITE ON!

4 comments:

Alison Henderson said...

I'm right there with you as a work on my current book. I'm smack in the middle and feel like I've forgotten everything I ever knew about how to construct a decent plot, interesting characters, etc. I guess there's nothing to do but write myself out of it. LOL. Have a great day!

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

I do that so often, Alison. I go back to my GMC sentence I create for my main characters. I'll talk about that next week.

Angela Adams said...

"You are capable." I'm going to keep repeating that to myself. Thanks.

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

I have to use this line often, Angela.