Monday, December 23, 2024
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One Piece of Advice From 28 Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors in 2024

Here I’ve collected one piece of advice from 28 science fiction and fantasy authors who were featured in our author spotlight series in 2024. Be sure to click the author names if you’d like to read their full author spotlights from earlier this year.

“The transition from writing for yourself to writing professionally can have a lot of moments where things feel out of your hands, and if you’re like me and can become stressed and anxious, then I recommend finding something that can take you out of that. Whether that’s a cozy video game like Stardew Valley, a TV or YouTube show that makes you laugh, or even disappearing into your own world and writing little chapters meant just for you (as I often do), then run with it, and try not to feel guilty about time spent doing it.” –Steven Banbury, author of The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

“Read. Read good books. Read bad books. Figure out what makes them good or bad. Read books in your genre. Read books outside of your usual reading genres.” –Patricia Briggs, author of Winter Lost (Ace)

“Love your books. Even if it feels like no one else does—trust that what you’ve written has meaning, and that meaning has inherent worth, because it does. As writers, there is no shame in wanting to share our work with others, nothing wrong with thinking about marketability and how best to reach readers, but, in the same breath, if one of your books isn’t picked up, if a story you care about doesn’t reach the audience you hoped it would reach, that doesn’t diminish its value. Keep writing. For the love of writing, for the hope of sharing what you love with others. You know the result if you stop writing, but you don’t know what will happen if you keep going; it’s only when we give up that we fail.” –Lynn Buchanan, author of The Dollmakers (Harper Voyager)

“My advice is the hardest to follow: Trust your voice, even when you’re not sure what it is yet. For me, figuring out my voice depended on (one of the) most unpleasant parts of writing, which is being rejected. Over and over again. And using those rejections to learn trends and pitfalls in your work. When I’m working on a book, I’m also writing and submitting short pieces—mostly humor—to keep my momentum going while giving my brain a shift in perspective. The vast majority of those pieces don’t get accepted. But I learn something new from every single one.” –Audrey Burges, author of A House Like an Accordion (Ace)

“Before you begin writing, know about where you’re starting, and know about where the story is going. What will the end be? If you don’t know where the story is headed, there is no way to keep it on track. Characters and plot will wander into dead ends. Give them a goal and they’ll reach it (though the characters might surprise you with what they do along the way).” –Jack Campbell, author of In Our Stars (Penguin Random House)

“Write fan fiction! It’s the perfect sandbox for perfecting any element of your craft because the characters, voices, and world-building are already there. And the fan fiction community can give you immediate feedback to let you know if your experiments worked.” –Mike Chen, author of A Quantum Love Story (Mira Books)

“This is very cliché, but my advice is to just never give up. Take breaks. Protect your mental health. Step back when you need to. But don’t give up. The world needs your voice, and someone somewhere needs your story. As an immigrant, there are so many books from my childhood that were there for me—that saw me—when I felt out of place. It didn’t matter if they were ‘good’ or even if they hold up today. For the length of time I spent between those pages, I was not alone. Every reader deserves that experience, and you never know what book will give it to them. So, if you can’t keep writing for yourself, keep writing for that future reader. Keep writing.” –Kamilah Cole, author of So Let Them Burn (Little, Brown Young Readers)

“Encourage all your weird ideas and go down those crazy rabbit holes. All of my ‘this will never work’ ideas always end up being my best ones … and they also end up being the most fun to write.” –Ruby Dixon, author of Bull Moon Rising (Ace)

“Don’t give up. Show up. Do the work. If you do those three things, I guarantee you will succeed. There’s a quote from Nora Roberts that I love: ‘There’s no secret, no formula, no magic spell. It’s called writing, regularly, consistently, daily. It’s discipline and drive and desire.'” –Dana Elmendorf, author of In the Hour of Crows (Mira)

“I suggest investing in craft books that break down character arcs and story structure. There are also YouTube channels dedicated to analyzing screenplays and the hidden parts of storytelling I find very useful.” –Tigest Girma, author of Immortal Dark (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

“Read widely—especially in the genre you’re writing in. Find the books that you love and figure out how the author pulled it off. Do they use certain character archetypes you’re drawn to? At what point in the story do they introduce an antagonist or conflict or plot twist? Try making a beat sheet of a book you think is particularly well done and study their plot. Make your best guess at what you think the character wants and motivations are and write out all the ways the author tortured that character until they finally overcame (or didn’t overcome) their flaw/wound/problem. If your character is stuck in a basement and you don’t know how to get them out, read a good book and see how that author got their character out of their basement. The solution you come up with will ultimately suit your story and be from your own brain, but you’ll gain invaluable inspiration by studying other great stories.” –Amanda Glaze, author of The Lies of Alma Blackwell (Union Square & Co.)

“Write what sets your soul on fire. Write what you’re obsessed with, that you can’t shake. Write for yourself, and pour a little of yourself into the pages.” –Rachel Greenlaw, author of The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells (HarperCollins)

With a growing catalog of instructional writing videos available instantly, we have writing instruction on everything from improving your craft to getting published and finding an audience. New videos are added every month!

“In terms of navigating the traditional publishing industry, I would advise a mix of surrounding yourself with people who have your career’s best interests at heart and being your own advocate. Ask questions, do your research, and don’t be afraid to walk away if something doesn’t feel right. It can be scary to walk away from an opportunity even if there are red flags, but it’s a long game and you need to work with agents, editors, and publishers who are invested in making your books the best possible versions of themselves. In terms of craft, I’ve learned that in writing there is always room for improvement. I have been writing since I was a child, and I never let myself believe that I’ve mastered it—sometimes I read lines I wrote as recently as the month before and I cringe. It’s a constant process of honing and refining your voice, so keep writing because that’s the only way you’ll get better at it. You will never write your best work—just your best work so far.” –Thea Guanzon, author of A Monsoon Rising (Harper Voyager)

“Your story is new because you are telling it. New writers often get discouraged because they stumble across some book or media that ‘beat them’ to a particular trope, theme, or idea. They get discouraged that they shouldn’t keep pursuing their idea because it’s ‘taken’ or already been done. As if there is a creative quota on the number of ‘X’ stories allowed in the world. I hope retellings like Toto can tell you that this is nonsense. Every story is old, and every story is new again. Your story is unique because you are telling it the way only you can. Comparison is the death of any writer, so don’t shy away from where others have tread instead: Write the most ridiculous, most you story that you can. The things you notice, the things you love, the story you wanted to read, the feelings you thought only you felt. No one else can write that story for you. It’s always worth it.” –A. J. Hackwith, author of Toto (Ace Books Fantasy)

“Try to finish what you start. Everything changed for me—creatively and career-wise—when I made a point to give my projects the endings I felt they deserved when I first started writing them.” –Alexis Henderson, author of An Academy for Liars (Berkley/Ace)

“Anything can be fixed. Often when I’m drafting, I’ll be filled with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, but it’s important to remember that I feel this way about every book. I’ll pick up something finished that I’m proud of and skim through it, remembering a time when I also wanted to throw it in a dumpster fire, and that will make me feel better. Stories are layered, and novels are written in drafts. What you don’t fix in this version, you can always edit in the next, and whatever problems you can’t deal with now, you can always come back to later. This is your book, and you can continue revising until you’re proud of it.” –Van Hoang, author of The Monstrous Misses Mai (47 North)

“Delusion is the pregame to Success. Also, get an agent who takes a lot of videos and photos (thank you, Ariele).” –Justinian Huang, author of The Emperor and the Endless Palace (Mira)

“Focus on what you can control. There are so many variables when you mix art with commerce, and publishing is no different. But as a writer, you have the tools to create an excellent story. So do that! Make the best thing you can make. No matter what happens after that, you can be proud, you can stand tall behind your work, and all of the love that you put into crafting the story, readers will certainly be able to feel.” –H.D. Hunter, author of Futureland: The Architect Games (Random House Children’s Books)

“With just two books published, I’m hardly an expert, but from what I’ve learned, follow your instincts. If you have decisions to make (and sometimes it feels like writing is 95 percent decision-making), go with the choice that makes you feel the most excited. Don’t hold too tightly to what you think you should write. Go, instead, toward what feels right. You’re a writer, but more importantly, you’re a reader, so you probably have an instinct for story. Trust it. And if you’re not sure what your instincts are telling you, ask yourself, What does my protagonist have to do next? Emphasis on have to. Again, not an expert, but in my writing process, asking myself this question is a great way to write a character-driven story—which, all stories are driven by characters, aren’t they? So, who knows, it might work for you too.” –Chelsea Iversen, author of The Peculiar Garden of Harriet Hunt (Sourcebooks Landmark)

“Read, read, read! As much as you possibly can, as widely as you can. The Teller of Small Fortunes is the first full-length book I’ve ever tried to write, but I feel like I’d been preparing all my life simply by reading voraciously. Reading isn’t just about observing techniques and other writers’ craft (though that’s helpful, too!)—it also helps you learn the shape and feel of a good book. Whether you notice it or not, you’ll come to pick up on what aspects of a story call to you and make you feel something, and through osmosis, that’ll come through to flavor your own writing, too.” –Julie Leong, author of The Teller of Small Fortunes (Ace/Berkley)

“Know that it’s OK not to produce. As creatives in a creative space, many of us are constantly confronting the successes of others. Which can be inspiring—but can also feel like you’re racing to reach that next goal or announce that next deal. Sometimes it seems like everyone else is being more productive or achieving greater things. But you also need time to rest and just think, and often my best ideas come when I’m not looking for them. A painter is still a painter when they’re not in front of the canvas. You’re still a writer even when you’re not actively putting pen to paper. Now, if I could only get myself to remember that …” –M. K. Lobb, author of Disciples of Chaos (Little, Brown)

“It might be a little cliché, but one thing I learned is that the worst thing you can do is stop writing. Every book you write, even if it does not get published, helps you improve your craft. And this also applies to drafts. Don’t look back when you’re drafting—just keep on writing. Even if you think it’s bad. Skip over scenes if you must, or leave placeholders, but just. Keep. Writing. You can fix everything in the next draft. What matters is you have a blueprint to work from.” –A. B. Poranek, author of Where the Dark Stands Still (Simon & Schuster McElderry)

“Support your fellow authors and take heart in their success—it means it’s possible for you too. Read their books, go to their events, reach out and tell them you like their stuff. Mentor a newbie. Join local writing/beta reading groups, participate(kindly) in online communities … whatever. It’s inspiring and will keep you from getting stuck in your own head.” –Anna Rasche, author of The Stone Witch of Florence (Park Row Books)

“Trust yourself. Trust your story. In my experience, books are far wiser than our minds. They know their twists and themes and secrets. Self-doubt is one of the biggest hurdles we face as artists, but if you feel called to write stories, trust in that. Know and own your value as a creator, for the world will always need more stories. Yours is valuable. Just like your fingerprints, your writing voice is uniquely yours. Write your story with courage and the knowledge that the people who need to hear it most will always find you.” –Alexandria Rogers, author of Spellbound Solstice (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)

“Make the ritual of writing as cozy as possible. Sometimes, in trying to protect our time and reach a certain word count, we can forget that writing is fun, and our bodies start to react against it. A worried feeling grows in the pit of our stomach when we’re confronted with a blank page, and our thoughts start to wander toward worries of not being able to finish the story. What’s helped me the most is weaving all the things I love into my daily writing ritual: a warm cup of spiced tea, a slice of cake, the company of my cats. If you have a favorite scented candle that calms you down with a single indrawn breath, light it as you’re sitting down to write, and you may be surprised by how much of your nervousness goes away by the time you start to type.” –Stacy Sivinski, author of The Crescent Moon Tearoom (Atria Books)

“There’s a quote from the artist Nao Bustamante that I keep saved in my phone: ‘I am not responsible for your experience of my work.’ It’s so hard not to measure our work by external metrics: Did the professor like my short story? Did the literary agent request a full manuscript? Did my novel sell to a publisher, and was it well-received by readers? But I can’t control any of that. All I can do is make work I genuinely love, and I know I’d be doing that whether or not anyone ever paid me to write or published my work ever again. As readers, we bring so much of ourselves to any book we pick up—our own tastes and experiences—and that’s great! That’s how it should be. But as a writer, it’s also kind of none of my business what you’re bringing to the table and how that might affect your read? So, I try to keep my head down and stay focused on my end of the bargain: not to chase market trends (blech) or write for anyone else’s approval, and instead to write something that makes me joyful and proud, to put a story on paper for no other reason than that I’m bursting to tell it. Write what makes you happy—that’s my advice. Write the story that feels the most like you.” –Kate Stayman-London, author of Fang Fiction (Dial Press)

“Distract yourself! I genuinely feel like the hardest part about publishing is all the waiting—as soon as I’m done writing one book, I begin working on the next.” –Tiffany Wang, author of Inferno’s Heir (Bindery Books)

“No writing is ever a waste. Sometimes sections of a book—or entire books—don’t work out. That doesn’t mean you wasted your time or work. You created something and grew as a writer, and that’s always valuable.” –Kiersten White, author of Lucy Undying (Del Rey)

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While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.

Click to continue.

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