November 15, 2007
Writers Write
Written by Jenna Petersen in Jaunty Post, Writers and WritingFor the last six months or so I have been ‘an author’. For the last two weeks, I’ve been ‘a writer’.
So what’s the difference?
Well, an author has all this outside stuff to do. Sometimes I think I get all caught up in that outside stuff, like managing my MySpace page and writing blogs and posting responses to message boards and traveling to conferences. The websites, the amazon numbers, the group sites… all ‘author’ territory.
What does a writer do? They write. That’s it. They write. Butt in chair, staring at the blinking cursor, working scene by scene… WRITING. That’s the hard stuff, the tough stuff and honestly, it’s the good stuff. When the ‘author’ work gets hard and frustrating and painful and disappointing, when I go into the writing, that’s good. It’s safe. It’s pure pleasure.
Sometimes, though, I see aspiring authors getting all caught up in ‘author’. They want the recognition, the website, the pen name, the whatever. And they forget about the writing. So here’s my writing advice for the week. I rarely give it here, but what can you do.
You can’t get to author without writer.
If you don’t do the work, if you don’t sit in the chair, if you don’t sweat and grow and learn your craft, it won’t matter if you built a website or picked a pen name or have your review sites all lined up. It won’t matter.
And besides, when you’re knee deep in reviews and conference flights… you’ll want that safe place that writing provides. So make it. Nurture it every day if you’re a writer. Give it your whole heart. And it will give you so much in return.
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Shana Says:
Great blog, Jenna. A lot of people talk to me about that book they want to write…someday, and I can tell all they want is the author part of the equation. You have to realize that the writer part comes first. And it’s hard!
Rainy Says:
Thanks, Jenna. Advice so basic and obvious, but that needs to be pointed out. Dreams are great, but you’ve got to let your feet touch ground first!
Robyn DeHart Says:
Amen! Great blog, Jenna. Sometimes it is hard not to get caught up in the author part. I’ve been writer a lot lately and it’s been so nice to just be creative and enjoy my craft.
Clarisse Says:
“Had I learned to play the piano forte, I should have been proficient.”…
Perhaps we all have a bit of Lady Catherine De Berg lurking in us.
Clarisse (raising her hand as being a charter member of the “wants to be an author while skipping over the actual writing part” club)
Shirley Karr Says:
Great advice, Jenna!
When the story is flowing and the characters are talking to you (or at least to each other) there is nothing better to do than write. Other than listen to my 4-mo old son laugh and coo, of course.
Alas, he still keeps me so busy I’m lucky to get 10 minutes to read e-mail and blogs, never mind author or writer stuff. Since he’s finally sleeping through the night, we have high hopes he’ll soon start napping during the day so I can write again.
Jenna Petersen Says:
I just spent the day NOT being a writer, of course. Running ten thousand errands. LOL
Margo Maguire Says:
Me, too. Hard to be a writer with the holidays approaching!
Irene M. Says:
Thank you Jaunties!!!
…For all the time you spend putting—“butt in chair, staring at the blinking cursor, working scene by scene…WRITING.”—so I can relax, put my butt in a comfortable chair …and enjoy reading all those wonderful stories you put your hearts into. Just wanted to let you know we “readers” appreciate your efforts.
Now I’m going to put my butt in my comfy recliner and finish reading SEDUCTION IS FOREVER. I left off at the end of chapter 12 where Grant tries to “lay down the law” to Emily… and I gotta get back because even though she’s wildly attracted to him and he brings out so many soft, tender emotions in her—and I liked seeing that side of her—I still don’t think Emily’s going to take that very well.
So far, I’m enjoying the story very much, Jenna.
All the Best,
Irene