Blog: The Evolution Revolution

Being an author is supposed to be fun.

Yes, it is, provided you have patience and resilience. Typically, an author comes out of the gate sputtering and not breathing fire like a dragon. Authors don’t come fully formed, just like musicians nowadays are never born with insane piano playing chops like Chopin anymore. The fact is I’m hesitant to give writer tips because I consider myself a student of the craft, not an expert Mr. Know-It-All. Still, since I live far away and can’t come to panels or cons, I should probably share some insight into my creative process.

My work has made leaps and bounds since I started writing horror fiction in 2022. I ended up returning to college and graduating with my degree in English years later, even if my papers were a different animal from fiction writing in general.

College did help me sharpen my attention to detail though. It improved my editing skills. Largely, the biggest evolution my horror fiction writing made between 2022 and this year happened largely due to repetition—repetition and practice.

It wasn’t fun coming out of the gate. My first few novels were very raw, and friends didn’t have encouraging things to say. Still, I persisted. I continued editing these same manuscripts over the course of years until they started rounding out. I learned the hard way, which is also the surest way. Editing skills aren’t simply refined over the course of weeks or months. It takes years to finetune one’s ear and recognize common errors simply by reading aloud. Another thing that helped was having some of my manuscripts edited and then studying the edits and notes made by my much more adept copyeditor.

I call it the Evolution Revolution. If writing is in your blood, you’ll be encouraged to even try, but the real hustle comes when you show patience and hard work. One popular piece of advice I got was…to read. In fact, you can read your own work to yourself and if something sounds awkward or unnatural, it most likely is.

However, it isn’t as simple as that. Mastery of the language can be gained from classes at a university, and it can also occur because of self-study. In the beginning, when the writing is unrefined and the process arduous, writing feels like the chore you weren’t fully expecting. Everyone thinks writing is fun and so should it, but the height of one’s accomplishments coincides with a dedication to improvement. Don’t be too disappointed with the manuscript in its early stages. Chip away and leave it alone for a while, then chip away some more. If you spend all your time on the same manuscript, new ones won’t ever get written. Stash your manuscripts in your computer and periodically revisit them to push drafts. Spend your free time chiseling away at the rubble, and soon enough, you’ll have a magnificent sculpture.

It’s like sex. As a newbie, a teen with their learner’s permit, you’re insanely awkward and unskilled. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet and gotten a chance to put in more time for practice, you’re slowly starting to become a better lay. Congrats once you learn Kama Sutra in your forties!

It’s the same with writing. There are so many people who think it’s an easy path to big money, and it isn’t. Once you’ve driven those illusions out of your head like the run-ins and splices in your manuscript, the creative process becomes more fulfilling.

And keeping one’s ego in check is a necessary step to self-empowerment. Be open to criticism. Accept all opportunities to significantly optimize your writing. Consider this Salman Rushdie quote: “good advice is rarer than rubies.” I once had an editor return my manuscript with very subpar edits. However, I didn’t let that stop me. I took most of his advice to heart. I still trusted my vision for the story, but by addressing the flaws he had pointed out in his critique, I patched the holes in the plot. The lesson? Make the most of whatever scenario. You may not agree with all the advice you’re given, but most will make sense.

Improved writing and editing will yield a process that comes naturally to you. As for me, I constantly edit my drafts until they have been finalized for publication, ensuring a clean manuscript with minimal revisions.

Writing is like driving. It takes practice, confidence. The greater your exposure, the more knowledgable and skilled you become. It’s important to obey the speed limit. The more careful you are, the less likely you will leave errors and signs of uninspired writing.

Another important thing? Vision. Read other books out there. Don’t be afraid to get blown away by the quality on tap. If anything, that exposure to the many ideas and the many styles of writing could significantly impact your work. Set a benchmark, but don’t be afraid to have your own distinct voice.