Learning Curve

As a self-taught writer I'm always thrilled when I find an established writer who shares their knowledge. Right now, I'm taking lessons from Alexandra Sokoloff. On her blog, http://thedarksalon.blogspot.com/ , she's breaking down the elements of telling a story. Today's lesson is about setting the scene and how to make it visual. Great stuff!

One thing I've learned about writing is that you're never done learning. There's always something new to discover. With each lesson learned we push our writing to a higher level, always striving to make the next story the best one we've ever written. Sometimes we achieve that, sometimes we fall flat on our face. But even in the falling there's a lesson to be learned.

Don't be afraid of failing, it's part of the process. In writing we have to use every experience, good or bad, to make our writing stronger. One of things I've heard a lot of editors and writers say is that persistence is what finally brings success to a writer.

And no, not every writer is going to be the next Stephen King and make a million bucks. I learned that lesson a long time ago. For me success is writing the best short story I can. If it gets published - wonderful, if not - it's back to the computer screen to rethink and rewrite the story. Not every story I write is published, but for every story written there is a lesson learned.

So chin up, and keep that learning curve in your sights. It will make you a better writer. And never be satisfied with just "good enough".

And today's quote comes from Jim Thompson:
"There's only one plot - nothing is ever as it seems."