The
most important trait of a writer:
Do you have it?
First,
let me say that there’s no one on this planet who can make
such a judgment to the exclusion of everyone else’s opinion.
Despite some who proclaim themselves the world’s leading
authority, no such person exists. It all comes down to one person’s
opinion.
Now
let me clear the air about the traits I feel are not
necessarily the most important.
Sophisticated
writing skills are not the most important factor. Some of today’s
most successful authors in terms of readership and/or sales are
not recognized for their craft of the English language. In fact,
many are considered hacks by college literature professors, yet
these so-called “hacks” laugh all the way to the bank.
The
ability to generate new ideas through a vivid imagination is not
what I consider the most important trait either. As an example,
take a look at Stephen King’s novel, The Stand.
Its premise might be considered lame by some--it’s the end
of the world and all the good survivors gather in one place while
the bad survivors assemble at another location, leading to a clash
of good versus evil. It’s basically the oldest idea under
the sun, yet it’s an absolutely brilliant novel.
Why?
Because
King demonstrates what I feel is ultimately the most important
trait of any writer--empathy. King knows
how his characters feel. He walks in their shoes. He knows how
they think and he converts their innermost feelings to words that
grab us, that make us want to know more.
Empathy
is your key to success. Empathy toward your characters.
Empathy toward your reader. Empathy toward publishers
and literary agents.
If
you’re too wrapped up in yourself, if you’re more
concerned about what you want than what your reader
wants or what your publisher wants, you’ve got
a steeper hill to climb.
So,
if you feel you have empathy, what comes next?
* Hone your writing skills!
While
superior crafting of words may not be the most important factor,
it’s still vital to the eventual success of most authors.
You’ve got to write sentences of varying length that are
grammatically accurate and connect to tell a story or communicate
a point.
* Read voraciously!
Devour the type of work that you want to write. And especially
read new authors. Recently published new authors demonstrate what
publishers expect from you better than established best-selling
authors.
* Study book stores!
If you want to write something that will sell in book stores,
doesn’t it make sense to evaluate what they currently stock?
Book stores can’t shelve every book that’s printed.
If you don’t create something that they want, don’t
expect them to ever stock it.
* Learn the intricacies of writing for publication!
Believe me, there’s more to literary success than writing
manuscripts and submitting them to publishers. Effective strategy
is critical. To begin your quest for education, CLICK
HERE for information about my series of “How
To Be Published” workshops.
* Solicit qualified evaluation of your work!
How will you know what you’re doing wrong until someone
points it out to you? Rely on professionals of the industry for
feedback rather than your significant other or college professors.
Only editors themselves know why they reject manuscripts. For
information about my editorial services, CLICK
HERE.
Finally,
remember that the world will always need new writers. Today’s
best-selling authors are not immortal. They’ll eventually
have to pass the torch. Start your preparation today to take that
torch and run with it.
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