011-What I’ve Learned-Part One
“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.”
― Isaac Asimov
It’s been a long time, friends. Far too long for my liking. I assure you there are plenty of good reasons for my absence, from countless edits of my debut novel to my recent big news—I’m now navigating the query trenches for that same thing. One thing is absolute: the A.J. Charles website is reaching its first full year!
I learned quite a bit leading up to the creation of this page but I’m grateful to know that there is so much more to learn. So to celebrate one year, I’ve decided to give you a two-part blog of the ten lessons I’ve learned in the last year while on my writing journey.
1. Five minutes is better than five hours.
Oh, the dream of being a full-time writer with a seven-figure yearly net, complete with movie rights being sold on a regular basis, tucked away in my sprawling library where I spend all day writing my next bestseller! Anything less than that dream is an obvious declaration that I’m an imposter, right?
One-hundred percent wrong. While having a day to myself to spend hours writing is great, I’ve found it’s a recipe for a lack of structure and a greater chance of not writing in the immediate future. Setting easy, obtainable goals—spending fifteen minutes writing one-hundred words a day creates a habit, allows your skills to increase, keeps the imposter syndrome at bay, and always keeps you moving in a positive direction.
2. Having others in your corner is an asset.
I touch on this in Blog-003, Self-Investment for Creators. Around the time I created this website, I had also joined a local writers’ group, which has been a huge support. In the last year, I’ve continued to take on a larger role there, and I love being able to both give and receive support.
More so than that, the first draft of my novel would never have been finished if I didn’t have my wife in my corner. Buying into my goals helped me to increase my productivity, and I question where I would be in this process if that wasn’t the case.
3. Your first draft isn’t what you thought it was.
Damn, the joy I felt when I finished my first draft! I’m curious if this is common knowledge amongst non-writers, but—well, yeah. I nearly stopped following my goals after looking at that first draft. Thankfully I was able to learn this was an entirely normal thing. The real work came with the editing process.
4. Letting your draft breathe is what allows you to realize that.
I recall being in high school, and in the strange event I completed an essay with time to spare, the proofreading was suggested the following day. Re-read with fresh eyes and all that. So to be told your completed first draft should sit for over a month? Madness! To step away that long from something you’re so proud to show off? A strange feeling, but one that is necessary. You’ve spent so much time writing that time is needed to ensure the work looks new again. Which leads to…
5. Editing—a slow, painful, yet rewarding process
Want to know why blog posts weren’t coming at the same rate? Editing. So…much…damn…editing. In an absolutely perfect world, your vision would be perfectly detailed, clear, and enthralling on your first go-round. But the world isn’t perfect, and my first draft was not good. Typos, grammar, getting rid of wordiness. Another go-round after finding plenty more. Feedback from beta readers led to changes in the story. Around and around it goes, and it’s a slow, slow cycle. You would think editing would be a matter of re-reading and making a few corrections here and there. Even now, I feel like I could make more edits despite being happy with the product. The great news is that sufficient editing creates a truer product, one your readers will enjoy more and you infinitely prouder of your work.
My word processor just let me know we’ve hit 666 words, which feels perfectly appropriate to call this one for now! I’ll be back shortly with the next five things I’ve learned in the last year to cap off one year!
What are the lessons you’ve learned in your writing adventures? Comment below (no log-in, password, or website needed if it asks), or reach out to me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter @ajcharleswriter.
If you’d like to be featured in a discussion about your own writing and creative projects, reach out to me!