Writing Tidbits by Delilah S. Dawson

I had the pleasure of meeting today's guest post writer back in January. (See where I blogged about it here.) She's super cool, a Georgia author (gotta support the home state!), and she's into Steampunk. 

And she was kind enough to give us some information on writing! Yay!! I'm not a writer by any stretch of the imagination but I love to hear about the writing process...so I'm thrilled with today's post!

So...here's Delilah S. Dawson!

(Photo from Delilah's Blog, isn't she gorgeous?!)

Writing Tidbits: You're a Unicorn!

As I sit here with four different Word documents open on my laptop, it's hard to remember what my life was like before I became a writer. It's almost as if a switch in my brain suddenly flicked on, and since then, I've been constantly obsessed. If I'm not working on a contracted book in my paranormal romance Blud series for Pocket or revising my YA for Simon Pulse, I'm working on guest blogs, short stories, e-novellas, or the next big, shiny idea.

But if I had to start all over again, here are 10 things I would do differently:

1. Nothing

Hard to believe, right? But I wouldn't change any part of my writing journey, even the mistakes. There's a saying that all writers are unicorns, meaning every person's experience is unique and special. We write different types of stories in different genres. We use different methods of plotting—or just write by the seat of our pants. Some people rely on critique partners or writing groups, while others hire an editor or search out a literary agent. Some people dream of being traditionally published, while others relish the complete control self-publishing can offer. But we all have one thing in common: we want to tell the world our stories.

If you'd like to write a book, there's no big secret to doing so. You start writing and keep writing until you're done, and there's nothing in the world that should stop you. Sit down and write every day, even if it's only ten words and each one hurts worse than a root canal. Take a writing class, buy a book on storycraft, or join NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month and consumes hundreds of thousands of aspiring novelists each November. And always remember that all first drafts suck; even Stephen King's first drafts suck. Just get the words out and worry about fixing it later.

I keep a RESOURCES page on my blog where you can find links to all the websites and books I used to become a traditionally published author with four books, three e-novellas, and an anthology under my belt. In 2009, I had a horrible first book and no idea what I was doing. On May 3 of 2013, I'm having a big party in Atlanta to celebrate the launch of the second book in my series. And I don't have a degree in English, an MFA, any shiny awards, or a deep, personal knowledge that I was born to be a writer. I just have tenacity and Google.

If you ever have a writing question, come find me on Twitter, @DelilahSDawson. If I don't know the answer, I can help you find it. After all, we unicorns must stick together.

Thanks so much for having me, Alli! Readers can always find me at my blog, www.delilahsdawson.com, or on Twitter,http://www.twitter.com/DelilahSDawson. 

My next e-novella in the world of Sang is THE PECULIAR PETS OF MISS PLEASANCE, out now with Pocket, and the next book in Sang is out April 30, WICKED AS SHE WANTS. Oh, and if you like artisan perfumes, check out the scents based on my characters at Villainess Soaps!

*I just want to thank Delilah again for stopping by Alli's World. I'm super excited to hear more about the YA novel she's working on, as YA is my heart. Also, I saw this guest post she did the other day and I really liked it too! So check it out! Happy Friday y'all! ~Alli