Monday, February 4, 2013

A-HA! NOW I GET IT! by Hilary Wagner


What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received? It can be something exclusively concerning the craft of writing itself, something that motivated you to keep moving forward with your writing or the road to publication, or something that changed everything in relation to you as a writer. It can be from a famous author, a critique partner, your spouse, your dog (my dog gives great advice)! What was YOUR "A-HA Moment" and how did it help you improve as a writer?

My A-HA moment: Never buying into trends and sticking to my gut. After I wrote my first book and began the long journey of getting published, I had no idea how competitive the markets were for certain types of books. I believed we should write what moves us--as that will be our best writing. I got nervous about that for a while, thinking maybe I should think more about the market, but then I realized if I'm not fully invested in what I'm writing, my readers won't be either. When I finally landed my agent, I was so happy she agreed on this. Write about what you're passionate about and you can't go wrong!

What was you’re A-HA moment??

22 comments:

  1. Nice! And so important. I keep telling myself: if I don't love it, nobody else is likely to.

    I think mine would have to be learning to write even when I didn't feel "inspired". It's one of those pieces of advice every writer hears, but there's a moment when you sit down and do it, and realize that a) it wasn't as painful as you thought it was going to be, and b) you're going to get your book written much faster this way. :)

    Waiting for that spark to arrive is easier, but can take forever: trusting that it will happen if you put in the time and effort is, I think, part of learning to take yourself and your craft seriously.

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    1. I need to learn that. It's hard for me to spit words out without "the spark". Usually the treadmill (of all things because I hate to workout!) gives me the spark I need to move forward. :)

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  2. Hi, very interesting question!And I am glad to know about your A-HA moment and especially liked your dog :-)

    I am a newbie in writing unlike you. My A-HA moment was a very very simple one. When I unexpectedly started writing and publishing it on-line,when many people including strangers started reading commenting and encouraging me...it was a real A-HA moment, because I discovered a writer in me, which helped me in my self-expressions since then :-)
    I wish you read and give your opinion about my latest short story in THAT link, only if you can :-)
    Link here:- http://yourstoryclub.com/short-stories-family/family-short-story-an-accident/
    Thank you

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    1. Feedback from online readers is great--especially when it allows you to find your path as a writer! Good luck!!

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  3. That is such a truth in writing, Hilary. "If we're not inspired in what we're writing than neither will the reader." Thanks for reminding us!

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  4. Best adive
    Compairson is the thief of joy

    Thank you, Rosevelt!

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    1. Oh, I like that. I will have to jot that one down and sticky note to my forehead! :) Thanks, Aurora!

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  5. My A-Ha moment came from a critique partner, because she would write things like "you are missing a beat here," basically comparing the storytelling to music rhythm, and I understood exactly what she meant. I sometimes write too spare, and this told me I needed to concentrate on the flow of the storytelling when I'm revising.

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    1. Dee, that's so funny. I'm always thinking of the sentence flow, but then I find myself parring things down so I'm not to wordy. Some of us need to add, others to take away! :)

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    2. I ALWAYS need to take away!

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  6. Okay, I'm linking to this one in my forthcoming last post on my first blog (how's that for tautology) this week. It's all about writerly pearls of wisdom, and this is a true pearl: "Write what you love." (As for the market, it is always ahead of what you're writing right now. Glance at it, but don't let it drive you.)

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    1. Yep, glance and keep going! By the time you'd actually get a deal, the market will be totally changed!

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  7. Is that Matt MacNish's buzzcut in the photo above?

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    1. I wish I still had that much hair.

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    2. Ha! It totally reminded me of that when I found the picture!! ;)

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  8. Many Ah-Ha moments to choose from, but one that stands out is when a member of this here blog read a book of mine and commented on how to make the characters more authentic and "real" and it was enlightening to the point where I rewrote a lot of the book. In the end, it improved the book tenfold and taught me a thing or two about characterization.

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    1. See, Project Mayhem brings awesome crit partners together! ;)

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  9. Write the book you want to read. You'll have a wonderful time revising.

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  10. Hmmm. I think I have a new Ah-Ha moment every year or so, and I learn something new about the craft of writing. My most recent one was about creating character: it's okay (and sometimes even necessary) to sometimes include the characters' thoughts when showing emotion through action, even though it feels like telling.

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  11. Wow . . . tough question, Hilary. I think mine came when I learned MORE is better in the early drafts. SO MUCH easier to cut than to add. :)

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  12. I've had many A-ha Moments over the years, but one that stands out came when I read Donald Maass's book WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL (paraphrased): Don't be afraid to up the stakes in your fiction. Make things dire. Make life HARD for your character. That sounds like a no-brainer, but I do find myself getting anxious for my characters, making sure they have their galoshes before they go out in the rain. But it's better fiction if they forget and have a miserable slog through the mud.

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Thanks for adding to the mayhem!