The awesome Carrie Butler and PJ Hrezo put together this awesome series of posts discussing the many roads we've all traveled in our writing lives. Check out the full list of participants here--there are some amazing posts to read!
Dear 2003 me,
First off, for the love of all things, please learn how to correctly use a comma. It would be SO super useful now and spare your poor copy editor a huge headache :)
Okay, writing, you know, that hobby thing that you've always wanted to do more with, and after taking a few great courses in college, actually want to try and find a way to be published. It's time to get to work. I know you spend much of your spare time behind your keyboard, but if you want to get something out into the world, it's time to start spending some serious time with the craft. Learn how to create a character arc, how to build the world on paper that's been living in your head, and how to ask for help. Finding a great community of other writers will be the best thing you ever do: get on that!
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| Me and my college roommate (she's the one in red) in 2013! |
The writing world is going to take you for a serious ride. There will be a whole lot of ups, downs, and
blind corners. And there will be times you want to quit. (Hello, stay AWAY from that delete all button--you know what I'm talking about!) But sticking with it will have its rewards. Especially in the awesome people you'll meet along the way. And while I can't say yet whether it's totally worth it, it has been a blast. So dig in, have some fun, and for the love of Pete, learn how to use that comma!
~2014 me
Great letter! If you're going to be shy, "writer" is a good occupation! I've found you can write it and forget about it as you send it out. Now--having someone read my writing while I'm standing there makes me want to run and hide!
ReplyDeleteOh jeez, yes, I can't handle other people reading my work while I'm around!!
DeleteLove it! Great little pep talk with just the right amount of tough love.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many good ones in this hop!!!
DeleteGreat letter with some positive energy. I need to work harder on allowing close family to read my work without feeling weird, too!
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely not easy!!!
DeleteI'm shy with my work sometimes too. It's not easy to put it out there. Great letter and best wishes on your success!
ReplyDeleteI'm working on it, which is good :)
DeleteLOL, I loved the first couple of sentences - they made me actually laugh out loud! :) This is another awesome letter. I love this blogfest! And I agree with Stephanie; you can definitely be shy and be a writer, and succeed - as long as you do share your work!
ReplyDeleteI'm loving this fest, too! So many wonderful entries :)
Deletehehe, " get over yourself." I love it. I was really shy about my work as well in the early days. Silly me.
ReplyDeleteI think we're all a little silly when we start out, right? :)
DeleteGreat advice to yourself!
ReplyDeleteLet see if I take it... :)
DeleteI'm glad you said 'learn how to use a comma correctly' and not 'quit using commas' b/c commas are awesome! =) I might use them too much... Great letter, Meradeth!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so never ever going to be able to not use commas. I kind of love them. And exclamation points! :)
DeleteI can relate to that shyness. It was a big step to share some of my writing with others. I think it helped being able to do that online with complete strangers rather than face to face with family or friends.
ReplyDeleteAnonymity online really helps!!
DeleteLove seeing 2003 Meradeth! It's good to see you accomplishing all that you set out to do ... who says a paranormal romance can't be the next great American novel? *wink*
ReplyDeleteI look like such a kid!! Kind of freaks me out a little :)
DeleteHa! That comma can be a real killer. :)
ReplyDeleteI relate to being shy. I stayed in the writing closet for about 15 years.
The writing closet! Oh, I love it. It's a comfy place, unfortunately :)
DeleteDarn those pesky commas! LOL
ReplyDeleteThank you for participating, Meradeth!
Thanks for putting this all together--it was super fun!!
Delete"Delete all" button? Are you kidding?
ReplyDeleteEven nowadays, when you're not tempted to throw away everything, keep any chapter you delete, even if it turns out to be a dogleg. The same ideas can be recycled.
Oh, trust me, there was a reason for that button at the time :) Thankfully I discovered a few backups I missed!
DeleteAwesome post! I love the comma advice! I wish I could go back and give myself grammatical advice- it would save me so much time now. :) Glad you came out of the writing closet- even without the letter to yourself.
ReplyDeleteI so wish I could get myself to have learned all that at some point!!
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