Everyone has at least one book inside of them – or so they say anyway. I think the idea of writing a whole book can be very scary and intimidating, to say the least. But it doesn’t have to be. Over the past five years, Writing took me on a long and winding road before I finished my second completed manuscript and signed it with my second literary agent. But you don’t have to be a wanderer on an endless road. If you want to write a novel or a memoir, you’ll need these books.
I can’t tell you how many questions I get about writing, much more than decorating. And honestly, I love talking about the writing process even more than decorating. I feel like writing is my second season of creativity. And there’s so much I’ve learned along the way that it’s hard not to want to talk about it. I recently opened my first attempt at writing a first draft, and I couldn’t believe how much I’d grown as a writer. And with every rejection that came with my first book, whether it was champagne (the nice kind) or not, I listened to their feedback and kept writing. Most of the feedback from editors and agents was, “Keep honing your craft.” When you’re curious and love writing, there’s no other choice. And that’s what I did.
Every story has a structure and rules that most writers follow, like “show,” don’t tell. If you’re going to write a novel or a memoir, these things are essential to the success of your story. I had no idea when I first started. I can laugh about it now, but I wish someone had told me about these books back then; I would have saved myself a lot of time. But as my father often reminded me, “Jennifer, you always have to learn things the hard way.” And he was definitely right.
Emotional Dictionary // Save the Cat!
Story Network // Dictionary of Conflicts
Glossary // Genius of Story
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Have a nice day my friend!
