There’s a lot of talk these days about finding one’s “tribe” or one’s “people.” If taken to extremes or left unexamined, this attitude can worsen the…

Creative writing tip: Find your Inklings

There are two main things that are important about writing in general. Firstly, you should know how your story will flow and impact on your own life as you continue to write it. But secondly, you must also see how your story is received by fellow writers and potential readers alike. Most authors manage both of these two aspects to some degree already, but often miss some of the more critical points included in them. Attending book signing events and book club meetings as a published author is great, because you can hear how people like your published book, and it encourages you to continue writing if the book is well received. However, the opposite can also happen where you learn about the weaker points of your story after it’s published. Attending reading groups of stories that are still under development, can help avoid potential shortcomings in your work, but also allow you to influence others’ work too. It also helps you identify potential issues for your future as a writer, as it can work as a way to gauge potential interest in your story and the impact of releasing your work to the public. Publishers of your first book may end up chasing you to write up a sequel, depending on how it is received by your readers. In the confusion this can lead to all the little parts of a potential sequel being squirrelled away and lost in the pandemonium of your first story’s success. Having a group there to gauge the writing of you unfinished work can help you identify whether there could be the potential for publishers to be chasing you for more and identify which parts are worth tucking away for your sequel.

Today’s tip is courtesy of Tess Martinus

My apologies for the delay in posting today’s post I have had a number of deadlines today, leading to many sleepless nights which meant I was very busy. Things should ease off for a little while but I’m still trying to make sure that I publish a post a day even if it’s later than my usual time.