Becoming publishable
Choosing a Genre for Your First Writings
One of the great things about writing is the diversity. You can write a novel for the first three hours of your day and a how-to article for the next. Many writers master a variety of genres and have a diverse and successful career.
However, each type of writing takes special skills, and it takes time to develop them. If you want to speed up your path to success, it can be helpful to focus in on one type of writing. This allows you to more quickly perfect your skills in that area, and to become familiar with the publications that take that type of writing. In addition, it can help you build a reputation that will lead to more work.
It may take some experimentation to figure out what type of writing you want to do. I started out intending to write picture books. I alternated between the picture books and short stories for young children. I built an impressive collection of rejection letters and eventually figured out that as much as I loved picture books I didn’t have the talent to write them. I began writing how-to articles and personal experience essays, and soon after, began receiving some acceptance letters. Although I still hope to learn to write fiction well, I found my starting place in the writing world.
Often, the best place to start is with the things you know best or love best. What do you read when you’re reading for fun and no one is watching? If you love mysteries you already have a head start learning to write mysteries. Having read so many, you know what is common, what is irritating, and what readers expect. You know some of the tools mystery writers use. This saves you a tremendous amount of time.
If you have specialized knowledge or an unusual life, you can often get past the hurdles that face new writers. I homeschooled my children, which gave me a natural focus for my writing. I had plenty of experience in a field where no one has a degree, so my education was unimportant. My first two books are both based on my own experiences as a homeschooling parent. I combine the how-to with personal experience to make something uniquely my own.
Once you’ve chosen a genre, begin reading everything you can find done in the same genre. Read carefully, from a writer’s perspective. You may find it helpful to outline the books or articles you like best to see how they’re structured. Make sure a good portion of your writing is current, since styles change rapidly.
Find good reading material on how to write what you’ve chosen to write. It’s helpful if you already have a project in mind, so you can read with an eye toward your project. You’ll have an immediate way to apply what you’re learning.
There are two ways to go about learning to write something new. You can start with easy projects, which will feel more successful and may sell quickly. Or you can choose something far too hard, which is unlikely to sell, but will force you to stretch far outside your comfort zone and grow more than you will from an easy project. There is no right solution to this decision. It’s entirely an issue of your personality, goals, and timeline. I started by writing what was easy. Currently, while I’m trying to learn fiction, I am intentionally choosing a project far too difficult.
So, choose a focus and go to work becoming an expert.