Important Note:
I would like to start by reminding that the podcast is sponsored by the Author Marketing Institute. AMI wanted me to let you know that their next event for authors is coming up at the end of Jan. It's called Author Marketing Live and it's a virtual conference. That means you can attend from your home or office and see all the presentations via your computer or tablet. Grab a seat today to learn from best sellers like Steve Scott, Joel Comm, Lewis Howes and Peter Shankman, and more. You can grab a ticket to the event for only $99 if you use the coupon code "ani" during checkout. That's $49 off the regular ticket price. Just visit www.authormarketinglive.com to register.
And now let's get to my guest!
Sean doesn't believe in skill and talent. He believes that there is a system and structure, and there is practice and you have to find out what mistakes you're making. He believes that with working on your skill, with doing it every day and practicing it a lot -anyone can become a writer.
Writing is as any other skill. There are components to it, but there are also applications. You have to understand the application. If you write for radio as you write for TV, for example - it just doesn't work.
[spp-tweet "Structure is important"]
Look at the works of people, who are very good. Figure out who are the great writers and what structure are they using. And when you do that you have to figure out what is the application. When you go through these steps you end up being a great writer.
[spp-tweet "With pretty much everything you have to practice."]
Many edit thrice or four times as much as they write. When you edit more than you write your confidence will be terrible.
If you want to have any kind of confidence then what you have to do is not set a deadline of the number of words you're gonna write. You seta deadline of how much time you're gonna sit and write every day.
[spp-tweet "A lot of advice that is given on Internet is just rubbish!"]
It is important to know what mistakes are you making. When you reduce the mistakes - you become talented.
Most of the writers sit down at a computer and write - a BIG mistake! Your writing should all be done with a pen and with a paper. Not at your computer, not with your cell phone and not with the Internet.
The biggest time goes to outlining. You plan in advance then only you write. This is preparation time. Without outline it is like going to the supermarket without a list. To outline you can use mind maps and notes.
- You have to read good stuff. The first step to writing is reading!
- De-construct the books you read
- Practice almost copying author's style
Copy the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th writer - mix up all those and come up with your style.
If you really want to be good at what you do, the you have to step off the nonsense that you're reading on Internet - which is: "this is how you make money", "this is how you do stuff".
What you have to do is you have to understand why people enjoy the works of Michelangelo, or why they enjoy a good wine. this is all magic!
A lot of stuff that's available on Kindle is average. There is no magic there.
Magic is when someone buys your stuff and they can't put it down.
Unless you can get a "wow" from people - then it works!
Useful Links
Psychotactics.com
