Write the way that floats your boat đł
Do you find yourself confused by online writing resources?
The internet has brought many great things to the writing community. From writing tips to insights on the publishing industry from the people behind the books, this era of writing is vastly different from the way we used to publish books barely ten years ago. But with the increase in knowledge comes a heavy burden: overexposure.
Itâs okay to unplug to protect yourself as an artist and a creative.
Remember, not everything you read online is good advice, and some publishing âinformationâ that spreads like wildfire is simply incorrect. If you find yourself needing to take a step back from social media, do it. Writing does not have to be a solitary act, but if taking a breather is what you need for your creative process, itâs worth prioritizing.
In todayâs interview, author Farrah Penn tells us how she keeps afloat as an author plugged into social media and all its highs and lows.
OUR SPECIAL GUEST TODAY ISâŠ
Farrah Penn
Author
Farrah is the author of Cancelled, a forthcoming YA novel from Penguin Random House thatâs pitched as Sex Education meets Easy A. You can add it on Goodreads, and visit her website. You can also find her keeping it real and giving writing tips on TikTok @FarrahPenn.
What is the most memorable writing tip or technique that you have heard, and how did it influence your process?
I wish I could be the first to give you an Infinity stone-esque gem of knowledge that makes you the most prolific writer in the universe, but (alas!) since I canât do that I will tell you two things that have influenced the way I write: 1) Know what works for you, and do that. Not a morning person? Then carve out time in the evening to sit down and write. It doesnât matter if XYZ Bestselling Author writes at 4 a.m. with their dairy-free chagacinno as writing fuelâyouâre only going to be the best if you know yourself best. 2) Story Genius by Lisa Cron helped me rethink the way I write characters, and itâs a book I highly recommend to other writers.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in your publishing journey?
Everyone experiences rejection but itâs something nobody likes to talk about. That was hard for me. I had a difficult time wrapping my brain around it. Online, all you tend to see is the good, so I let myself believe everyone else was having an easier time than meâbut thatâs not true! Lean on your people. Lean on me! My DMs are open if you need someone to commiserate with. I know itâs tough, but keep going.
How do you balance finding time to write and managing other obligations and responsibilities?
Iâm a chaotically organized person with a tornado brain, and by that I mean Iâll make spreadsheets and docs to keep me on track only to lose track of them. I have planners Iâve organized and abandoned. But something that has helped me consistently is breaking down my free time week by week. I donât have a routine writing schedule, so I plan everything around my 9-to-5. Sometimes I get up at 6:30am and write until I start work, and other days I let my body rest and start writing at 6:30pm until my brain battery is fully drained. I get a lot of writing done on my weekends. I think it goes back to finding what works for you, and doing that.
What is one thing you wish you had known about the publishing process before going through it yourself?
I wish I knew that I didnât have to know everything. There were so many moments in the publication process of my first book where I was lost, or it was assumed I knew how certain things worked within the publishing world. But I didnât! To be honest, I still donât a lot of the time! But you know what? Itâs okay to ask questions. Ask them! People are MORE than happy to clarify, and theyâre incredibly nice about it!
What's one writing "rule" or piece of advice that you decidedly break?
Ending sentences in prepositions. See? I did it above when I said, âEveryone experiences rejection but itâs something nobody likes to talk about.â Sometimes breaking certain rules works better for your characterâs voice, because we as humans donât always converse in Prim And Proper English. Reading my work out loud when Iâm at the polishing stage helps me determine what sounds the best in regards to what Iâm trying to express.
I love how these interviews are laid out. Simple yet pertinent.