I'm pleased to introduce you to the very talented Susan Stuckey who will be generously sharing her two cents today.
Take the stage, Susan!
Teresa asked me if I’d be interested in
writing a post answering the question “If there is one piece of writing advice
you could share with other writers, what would it be?” I said yes, because
Teresa is such a sweetheart--who could say no?
One minute (actually is was more like a
couple of seconds) after I hit send on my acceptance, panic set in. Who was I
to give writing advice to anyone? What could I say but reiterate one of the
same memes as everyone else? Read! Write every day!, etc.
Then I realized that the answer could be
found in two of the disciplines I studied in college: sociology and psychology.
I considered our age of “internet interaction” filled with the flame wars, bullying,
and negativity. I realized that my advice would not directly be about writing,
but something related.
I went back to one of my favorite poems
-- specifically the last two lines of this verse:
"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!”
[from The Fools Prayer by Edward Roland Sill]
My advice is to have sense, and say
those truthful words that “grandly ring” to everyone but especially fellow
writers. Offer other writers help and support. Helping someone else promote
their publication does not diminish your possibilities of sales, it increases
them.
Perhaps you don’t believe you can
promote their book to your fans because you write YA or MG and theirs is
erotica or adult horror or ??? There are other ways to say the word that rings
grandly. Buy their book. Leave a review. Attend their Facebook party. Congratulate
them on publication for a job well done. There are untold ways to show the
“kind heart” and give support.
And when someone supports you, either
verbally or by action, THANK THEM!
Small kindnesses make large waves.
*****
BIO:
Currently (mostly) retired, but 'back in the day' Susan was a
meek, mild-mannered, self-effacing accountant/auditor but after 5:00 her
imagination broke free. She either played with historical stories, or in the
magical World of Aldura she created.
Besides playing in fantasy worlds and/or historical times, Susan
dabbles in various hobbies, loves to try new recipes, and is the servant of
multiple fur-children (both feline and canine).
LINKS:
Website/blog:
http://susan-stuckey.storytellersinn.com
Facebook
author page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Stuckey-Author/405863746200970?ref=hl
Twitter
handle: @SusanStuckey3
Amazon
US Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Stuckey/e/B00F961U04/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1392130321&sr=8-1
Great advice, Susan. Something about the Internet seems to bring out the worst in some people. At least, I hope it's the worst and not their normal behavior!
ReplyDeleteYou hit the nail on the head, Ian. Like you, I sure hope it's their worst, as well. Thanks for visiting. :-)
Delete"Small kindnesses make large waves." I love that! We should always remember the small ways we can help others -- and the thousand and whatever small acts of kindness that have helped us along life's way!
ReplyDeleteSo true, Elizabeth! Susan wrote a very nice post. Kindness can never be emphasized enough...never practiced enough. :-)
DeleteThanks for visiting!
This is very very very awesome advice. I second it. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteI third it. :-) Thanks for visiting, Tanya!! :-)
Delete