Growing as an author…

person writing on notebook

I’m never satisfied with what I write. At least, not in the long term. For example, I’m taking an online writing course for opening chapters right now. I have a lovely first chapter for Fantastic America, but didn’t feel it started quite the way I intended it. I’ve finessed the words enough times to know it needed another set of eyes.

I’ve had beta readers and crit partners go over the scene. While it worked, and I liked it, there was still something missing. So I sent it to another editor, and BAM! She put her finger right on all the troubles I’d noticed but been unable to overcome. Some I didn’t even know needed adjustment. At last!

The point of that is to say, we never outgrow learning. It isn’t just craft either. When talking about genre, writing process, marketing, and the business of writing there is always something else to learn. It is sometimes painful, but isn’t there a saying about art and pain?

Learning is a lifelong pursuit for me. The fact that there is more to learn, other options to explore makes me happy. It means I have another topic to devour, more lessons to make my writing journey and my writing richer for readers. As long as I keep digging, my material has to get better, right?

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