A Letter to My Past Self

Dear Wannabe Novelist,

Congrats, you finally found your passion. Way to go, lady! When you were younger your jam was poetry, short stories, and essays, but ooh la la, now you’re upping the stakes. You go girl, feed those dreams. Write that book. Become a published author. You can do it!

Yay! I know you’re all in now but slow your roll. Be patient, it takes a lot more than a golden idea to succeed. Your time will come. Be kind to yourself, you’re just starting the journey. Educate yourself about the publishing world, the genre you intend to write in, and all things grammar. Sharpen your skills. Read a lot and write a lot. Write from your heart and soul. Complete that first draft and edit the hell out of it.

Rejection can slam you over the head and wound your inner child. Hold your head high and don’t let it rip you apart. The publishing industry is a tough business to break into. Embrace constructive criticism and make changes that improve your manuscript, from the title to the plot, and all the characters in between. Ditch excessive exposition no matter how in love with the writing you are. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be and readers don’t need to know all that background info. Open a new document to save the deletions. Toss some of it into later chapters or the next in the series.

You’re an organized, detail-oriented person surrounded by dazzling light. You have mucho clever ideas and riveting stories that need to leave your laptop and see their day in print. Believe in yourself. Keep feeding your dreams. You and your dreams matter. However, there are no enchanted seeds or incantations. Hustle! Double-down on the necessary work to bring all you’ve desire to fruition.

I know how scared you are but please embrace social media and use your creativity to promote yourself and gain a following. Trust me, the website and pages you envision will have your writing voice and style written all over them. Enlist the help of someone in the know. Someone tech savvy and blessed with marketing skills. Your partner in crime will be an incredible surprise. Cue Wordy's webmaster and tech guru, Alyssa. The fairies not only doused her with beauty beyond, they dusted her with heaps of savoir-faire. Get ready for her to drop magic all over your intentions and transport your ideas into the digital world. You’ll have your beloved and handsome son, Tyler to thank for the intro. Everything happens for a reason and people come into your life exactly when they’re supposed to. Begin the social media journey slowly and gain momentum. Trust me, you will be successful.

You’ll hit rough patches now and then. When you’re stuck in a rut, walk away. Turn on the inspiration to get your writing juices flowing again. Music, a good workout, and fresh air, equals fresh ideas.

Though you’ll devote tons of time and energy to your Wordy Tips & Tidings pages and website, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture, your dream to become a published author. Carve out time to track down the best literary agents and publishers and send out those perfected queries. Schedule blocks of time to write and trim your current WIP.

Three of the most important things you’ll compose besides your novel are your query letter, blurb, and synopsis. Keep them concise, use powerful words, introduce your protagonist, nemesis, and love interest, if applicable. Include conflict and stakes. Lay out enough of the plot to draw a literary agent and readers in, but don’t give away the whole kit and caboodle.

Last, kick self-doubt to the curb and prepare for success whether you decide to self-publish or seek traditional publication. Either way plan to market your book.

Good luck and happy writing!

Love,

Your Future Self