Commit to your dream

Commit to your Dream

By Dana Littlejohn

Hello everyone!

I am Dana Littlejohn author of sensual I/R and African American romance. For those who don’t know me, I have been a published since 2003. I have been asked many times over the last ten years to blog and chat with new and unpublished authors. Last month mentioned the four tips I usually give.

1) Learn your craft.

2) Commit to your dream.

3) Write, A LOT

4) Promote yourself.

I gave you a few suggestions on how to promote yourself more in 2014 and a few tips on how to keep writing. I hope you are able to build on them and perhaps they will spark ideas of your own. If you didn’t read last month’s blog feel free to go back and check it out.

This month I would like to discuss #2: Commit to your dream

No matter what your dream is and how hard we strive for it sometimes life and other distractions get in the way of our retrieving it. When that happens we have to take the time re-dedicate to the things that are important to us. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to do that, when most of us are focusing on the recent past and foreseeable future. Re-commit to your dream of being a published author.

Everyone has their own way of writing, it’s their personal style, ‘flavor’ if you will. It’s called your writing ‘voice’. It’s the way you tell the story. There are many different types of voices. It is okay to read other peoples work and learn from it, but it’s not okay to copy it. You must find your own. Something that is uniquely you. 

Don’t be discouraged if you think it’s not happening. There is no time limit to greatness. Keep reading and keep writing. You will know it when it happens.  

In last month’s entry I mentioned the importance of writing and describing things. 

When you write a book you want your words to paint a picture in your reader’s head of what is going on. The picture example gave should help with that. It is also a good idea to read books in the genre you want to write. That’s not to copy, steal or piggyback off of what that author has already written (not only is that unethical it’s against the law), but to see what has been accepted in that world. Once you get an idea, your job is to be different and push the limits. You want story to stand out, but not so much that it is unbelievable.

Being an author can a lot of work, but it’s also fun and rewarding too. Above all it takes commitment. You must be committed to yourself, your story and the pursuit to being published. 

I hope this helps in your growth as an author. Thanks for reading and I hope you will return often in 2014. If you have questions leave them in the comments below.

Dana Littlejohn

www.danalittlejohn.net