The learning train

Back to questions! I promised to answer them all, so I better get to it.

Today, we have three more questions from Jessie Sin. First, she asks: What have you learned from your writing?

Wow. That is a big one. I have learned more from my writing than I can fit in a single blog post. In fact, if I were to write a book listing all the things I have learned from my writing, I imagine it would be longer than any of my novels. For brevity’s sake, I will stick to things I have learned about myself and not include those I learning during book research.

With each book I write, I learn more and more about myself. I learn my strengths and weaknesses (new ones with every book, it seems). I have learned to be more patient. I have learned to cage my inner perfectionist and  let myself make mistakes. Most importantly, I have learned to embrace my mistakes. With each one, I learn to be a better writer.

Next up: What do you hope others learn from your writing?

I am going to let you all in on a little secret. Promise not to tell? Show me the secret handshake…

I don’t expect others to learn anything from my writing. I don’t even hope they will. What I hope to do is to entertain readers, not teach them. If they happen to learn something along the way, then great, but unless I start writing instruction manuals, that is not my goal.

And finally, she asks: What is the most rewarding aspect of your writing?

Watching my characters come to life and seeing my story unfold before my eyes. Each book I write starts with just a little glimmer of an idea. Even when I have a book fully plotted out before writing, characters surprise me and the story takes turns I never imagined. Seeing something that started as such a tiny inkling of an idea turn into a fully developed book is incredibly rewarding.

Ask me again later, after I have been published and people have read my books. We will see if the answer is the same then. I have to imagine that having readers who actually like these crazy yarns I spin would be just as, if not more, rewarding than this.

Tune back in tomorrow for more answers!