Lessons in writing and the writing business

As I indicated yesterday, I kept copious notes as I wrote my fiction manuscript. I wanted to have a record so I might gain from the overall experience. I expected I would eventually choose the elements of greater value and dismiss those elements or steps that did not work or that produced unsatisfactory results.

I am now going back and reviewing my notes along with books and articles that had an influence on me. I believe my expectation was correct. In short, I did make mistakes, but I was very fortunate to find a wealth of information as well as many valuable techniques. My intent is to condense this information as I believe it will be very useful for other aspiring writers.

In the meantime, I am finding even more value in the process of reviewing the materials used along the way. It is a summary of lessons learned, but also a review of the key elements that I found to be most valuable. Yes, there is a lot of information, but there was not a single source for the very specific information that I needed at the time. I realize that many of the issues that I faced are common as I talk among other aspiring writers. Perhaps there is a need for such a reference of common issues. I hope so.

Of course, I realize I am merely providing a road map that addresses very specific issues. It is not a substitute for greater experience and knowledge, but I think it is very fresh in my mind and quite possibly relevant to a new generation of writers. Furthermore, these fundamental elements of writing and the writing business offers the development of my manuscript as an example. As my fiction book nears completion, the results of my work shall become apparent. The success of my non-fiction book will likely rest on the success of my fiction book. However, if I fail, I will have something of value for my efforts. I will have an education in the craft of writing through the direct application of methods I plan to document for future use.