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Raquel Byrnes with some Practical Advice and PURPLE KNOT!


Today we have Raquel Byrnes, who is on her tour to promote her book PURPLE KNOT!
Raquel Byrnes lives in Southern, California with her husband of sixteen years and their six children. She considers inspirational fiction a wonderful way to minister to others. She writes romantic suspense with an edge-your-seat pace. Her first book the Shades of Hope Series, Purple Knot, releases on June 3rd from White Rose Publishing. You can visit her at her website: www.raquelbyrnes.com and her writing blog, Edge of Your Seat Romance.
Practical Advice for Beginning Writers

Some of the best advice I ever received was from a fellow novelist. She said to give yourself time to get better. Writing is a trial by fire, learn as you go, type of endeavor and if you realize that the more you write, the better you get, you’ll save yourself some frustration in the beginning.
Here are some practical tips for starting out…
·        Have a plan. I know this may make some of you pantsers cringe, but I’m not talking binders and outlines. I’m talking about at least a bare bones idea of where you want the plot to end up and now you want your character to grow.

·        Have a schedule. Writing to get published is not a hobby. It is a career that you need to make time for. Enlist your family’s help by agreeing that you are not to be disturbed during your writing time. Better yet, ‘go to work’ by leaving for the library or coffee shop. The more serious you take your craft, the more other will.

·        Have accountability. Join a critique group or have an online friend that you exchange chapters with on a set schedule. Just knowing there is someone expecting you to produce helps to motivate in a big way. Also find someone to give you honest, constructive feedback.


·        Hone your craft. There are many amazing books out there on the writing craft. If you’ve sought feedback, then you’ll know what your weak areas are. Do you have a slow beginning? Does your plot sag in the middle? Are your characters not layered or believable? Find out what you need to work on and…work on it.

·        Have patience. With yourself and with your work. The most surprising thing I learned about the publishing industry is how…long…everything…takes! Crafting a story takes time, but it’s so worth it to see your name on the cover of a book

With a little perseverance and a lot of patience, you’ll get there. Just remember that you started writing because you loved it.

24 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for having me over for a visit! The post looks lovely! :)

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  2. Some really great advice. Thank you Raquel.

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  3. Hi The Golden Eagle, thanks for coming by!

    Hello Raquel, you welcome!

    Hi Kiru, I agree, Raquel does have some great advice, thanks for coming by.

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  4. Golden Eagle and Kiru - So glad you found the article helpful. :)

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  5. Hi, Nas and Raquel. That's a nice short pep talk up there, Racquel. Thanks!

    Nas, you seem to have changed your page layout slightly. I like the new look. (Perhaps I just haven't noticed, the last few times I've been here.)

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  6. Thanks for sharing, absolutely wonderful!

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  7. fantastic advice for writing. I especially like the one about accountability. It's so important to find good crit partners.

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  8. solid advice, short and to the point.
    cheers,
    mood
    Moody Writing
    @mooderino

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  9. Excellent advice. I've learned a lot by sitting down and writing. One of the things each writer has to learn is to finish writing a book. It's not as easy as it seems and practice makes perfect. Good luck with your new release.

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  10. Great advice. Thanks, Raquel, and all the best with your writing.

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  11. Thanks Nas
    Writers should take heed in what Raquel says about writing in a coffee shop or away from home. Being the mother of 6, I'm sure she knows the value of writing time at home. :)
    Take care and best of luck to all.

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  12. Right, Blogger has eaten my comment three times now - fourth time lucky?

    Great tips, Raquel!

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  13. Talli - 4th time was the charm!

    Thank you all for stopping by and for your kind words. And thank you to Nas for being a wonderful blog host.

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  14. Hi Raquel! Nice to meet you! And loved all the tips.. I'm at the honing craft + being patient stage...

    I'd like to add one more point about not losing the "creative" spark while being lost in craft... (like I hit a wall a couple of days ago and realized this!)....

    Thanks for bringing us another great author, Nas!

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  15. Sound advice. When asked what's advice to writers, inevitably, I say take time to learn the craft. Planning is right up there at the top of the list too.

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  16. Wonderful tips! And coming from someone who manages writing and six kids, I'd say it's pretty reliable too. :-)

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  17. Great advice, I couldn't have said it better. Anything worthwhile takes time. Good luck with your book release.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium

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  18. Wow, Raquel has AMAZING hair. o_o So pretty!

    Anyway, great advice! I agree that even pantsers (of which I am a card-carrying member) need to have a general plan. Knowing where you're going, even in the loosest sense, makes such a difference!

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  19. Hi all friends,

    Thanks for coming along and all your lovely comments!

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  20. Nas, thanks for hosting Raquel.

    Raquel, spot on advice. It's not a hobby, so take it seriously. Be there for the long haul and read about craft.

    Good luck with Purple Knot!

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  21. Awesome advice, Raquel! I wish I would've read it five years ago when I first started out. LOL! But c'est la vie! Congrats on Purple Knot!!

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  22. Hi Theresa and PK!

    Thanks for your lovely comments!

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