by Andrea Christenson, @AndreaC_Author
One of my daughters has a habit that drives me crazy. When we are walking together anywhere, she will always trail behind me by a half step or more. On the rare occasions that she gets ahead of me, or I’ve stopped to look at something, she will wait for me to pass her before continuing on. She dislikes entering a door first and will pause to the side if she happens to be the first one to an entrance.
“Just go ahead,” I tell her. “I’ll catch up.” Nope. Not gonna happen. It’s my least favorite game of follow the leader ever.
Recently my husband, who is taller than me, and I were walking through a crowd. I was unsure of how to get to our ultimate destination, but he knew just where to go. I followed behind him a half step, keeping my eyes on him much more than on the route we were taking. I didn’t have to be concerned about anything other than keeping him in view.
Lightbulb moment.
The comfort and safety I felt while trusting my husband to do the navigation in a crowded space must be how my daughter feels when we are walking together. She doesn’t need to know where we are going, or try to find the way herself. She only needs to trust in someone who knows the way.
Learning to navigate the world of writing and publishing can feel a lot like how my daughter feels when we are going places. It can be lonely, intimidating, and confusing. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about getting lost, pushing our way through a crowd unprotected, or not knowing how to open a door.
We just have to learn from someone who has gone before us.
The writing world is filled with helpful people brimming with helpful information. You never have to feel alone while traveling through the peaks and valleys of the writing life. My top tips for finding help along the way:
1. Join a writing/critique group. Having other writers (who are likely on a different part of the path than you) around you to talk you through the hard bits is invaluable. You will find that you can then do the same for others in your group.
2. Attend a writing conference. I know conferences can be expensive. But, save your pennies and just do it. The skills you learn and the connections you make at a writing conference are worth it.
3. Buy craft books (And actually read them!). Some of my recommendations are – The Story Equation by Susan May Warren, The Christian Writers Market Guide by Steve Laube, and The Emotion Thesaurus (or any from this series) by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman
4. Spend time roaming around websites designed for helping authors. Some of my favorites are – This one! learnhowtowriteanovel.com
American Christian Fiction Writers acfw.com
ProWritingAid (seriously, try out one of their free training weeks. So useful!) prowritingaid.com
The Steve Laube Agency stevelaube.com
What are your top tips for “Following the Leader” in your writing journey?
He just wants to erase his past. She can’t seem to escape hers. But facing it might put their future in jeopardy.
The day Jack Stewart walked out of jail, he vowed to keep his conviction a secret. The whole thing was just a terrible mistake, and he did his time. Now he wants a new life in a sleepy town where no one knows his name. Deep Haven is the perfect place to start over as a chef. The last thing the former pararescue jumper wants is to get involved. But when Boone Buckam—the guy he owes for getting him out of the slammer—asks for help, how can he refuse?
Colleen Decker has already escaped evil once—as a teenager, she was kidnapped by a murderer. But she’s put all that behind her as a trauma nurse in Minneapolis. Or maybe not, because a freak mistake in the ER sends her past crashing down on her. She needs a timeout in her hometown of Deep Haven. She doesn’t plan to stay—even when she’s roped into the job of flight nurse for the town’s Crisis Response Team chopper. Colleen’s not sure why she’s drawn to danger, but she’ll be safe enough—after all, she’ll need training, and her teacher is a handsome former pararescue jumper. What could go wrong?
When Jack said he didn’t want to get involved, he especially meant his heart—but being with Colleen feels like a fresh start. He’ll even climb aboard a chopper again, despite his vows. They’re headed for a happy ending…
But secrets never stay buried in a small town. And when disaster strikes one snowy night, they’ll both have to decide if the past will destroy them…or if it just might lead them home.
Cozy up to this perfect Deep Haven drama about discovering a season of second chances.
Andrea Christenson lives in Minnesota with her husband and two daughters. When she is not busy homeschooling her girls, she loves to read anything she can get her hands on, bake bread, eat cheese, and watch Netflix—though not usually all at the same time. You can connect with Andrea on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and on her website www.AndreaChristenson.com
Comments 1
Thanks for these excellent tips, Andrea. One tip I’d like to share is to work with a writing coach if possible. I had the opportunity to do so while writing my first novel, and it was a game-changer for me.