Today I am being "career shadowed" by a local high school student who wants to become a writer. I'd add "like me", but after spending the day with me, that may not be true. *insert self-deprecating laugh here*
If she doesn't run screaming in the first five minutes, we'll talk about writing, do some writing, then go have lunch with some of my other writer friends, where - I imagine - we'll talk about writing some more. She's also going to attend a local chapter meeting with me on Saturday where I'll be speaking about dealing with rejection and the path to getting an agent. Riveting stuff, I assure you.
What advice would you like to pass on to this young aspiring author? Any pearls of wisdom you wish someone had given you when you were getting started? Let me know and I'll pass them on.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
I Can Has Shadow?
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Hey, that's cool!
ReplyDeleteRemind her how it's about keeping your nose to the grindstone and plowing ahead no matter what. Even years into it and you've gotten nothing but rejections and your friends are all published. Nose down, determined and typing.
Don't write just because your English teachers tell you how great you are. Don't stop writing just because some naysayer doesn't believe you'll ever finish a book. Write because your brain is so full of stories you have to get them onto paper or you'll explode. Write for yourself first and the rest will follow.
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your future writer, Kristen. =oD
Oh fun. Tell her to write what she loves. And keep developing that and following her own voice. I'm sure she'll learn so much from you.
ReplyDeleteStart choosing wise munchies now, because all that time spent writing in a chair does heck on the hips. ;-)
ReplyDeleteOooh, how fun! Tell the ABWs.
ReplyDeleteA Always
B Be
W Writing
Always be writing.
(A little modified Glengarry Glen Ross for her) LOL!!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteHmm, let see, you have to have tension in your stories, no tension no story.
Janice~
You've got patience. If I had to have an intern shadow me they would be sorely disappointed because my day would go like this:
ReplyDeleteRoll out of bed. Make coffee. Drink coffee. Sit in front of the computer for 5 hours. Remember to take a pee break. Sit in front of the computer for another 9 hours... I think they would be running for the hills.
Tell her to join RD and tell her everyone gets rejections, it's part of being a writer and not to sweat it. That was the biggest hurdle for me and once I learned I could handle a rejection, nothing could stop me.
ReplyDelete