Making the transition from aspiring writer to published author
The first thing you should do for an aspiring writer is shoot them while they’re still happy, and the second is give them the “Elements of Style,” which is grammar, advised Susan Muller, president of the Northwest Houston Romance Writers of America.
Miller was referencing Dorothy Parker, an American poet and short story writer, while at the annual NWHRWA Lone Star Writer’s Conference. The theme of this year’s conference was “The New Frontiers in Publishing.”
Keynote speaker Bob Mayer, CEO of Cool Gus Publishing and New York Times best-selling author, has published more than 50 novels, selling more than 4 million copies. His recent novel, “Write it Forward: From Writer to Successful Author,” teaching writers how to be authors was the basis for his speech at the Oct. 4 conference.
Mayer discussed the changing market in the publishing industry since the rise of the digital market and the affect on print.
“It is a great time to be a writer,” Mayer said. “Due to the uprising of the digital market, like Nooks and Kindles, getting published and getting your work out there has become easier due to self-publishing. But print will always be around, though it’s getting smaller and smaller as part of the change in market, but there will always be a place for print.”
Mayer addressed the fact that many writers often get discouraged by the publishing process on the way to becoming a traditional author.
“It can be really discouraging if you let it,” Mayer said. “But that’s the point you shouldn’t let it. The people who succeed are the ones that are a little bit crazy and don’t care about the odds against them.”
Mayer graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, served in the infantry and later became a Green Beret after passing selection for the Special Forces. He admitted being a good author requires an understanding of language and life experiences.
“Two things: one, study story and the other, experience a lot of things,” Mayer said. “Mark Twain said ‘write what you know.’ Even though you’re venting your emotions, you write from your own life experiences.”
Muller and the board of directors organize several writer events during the year, including: monthly chapter meetings, a Lone Star Writing Contest and the Lone Star Writer’s Conference.
“The conference is a chance for chapter members to hear someone who is well known in the business that will have ideas to offer our chapter members in publishing and writing,” Muller said. “RWA is about teaching the craft of writing. We want to teach specific writing techniques or research topics. Sometimes we bring in speakers on hypnotism or sword fighting, while others focus on dialogue or deep point of view. All of our events are designed to help writers become not only published but also successfully published.”
RWA members consist of published authors or writers aspiring to become published authors. J.D. Faver, NWHRWA member and published author, writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and romantic thrillers. Her most recent novel,“The Reluctant Rancher,” is the second book in her Badlands series.
“Everyone’s writing process is different,” Faver said. “I write my entire novel from start to finish first without stopping to edit. When I finish the book, I edit, and then send it out to my beta readers for feedback.”
Muller admits that writers are a different class of people and all have their own creative process that works for them.
“All writers are strange in their own way,” Muller said. “They have characters in their heads that speak to them. And they write not because they want to but because they have to. But I’d tell aspiring writers to never give up; develop a thick skin, and write what you love and love what you write.”
