for Writers

When I learned all about advertising in college, I never suspected there’d be a connection between that and fiction writing. Truth be told, I never entertained the tiniest notion that I’d someday write fiction, so I didn’t think about it. But if you do think about it, the similarities are obvious.
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To become an exceptional advertising writer, you need to keep your target audience in mind. It works best to imagine that one perfect consumer. What does he like? How does she think? What does he do? For fun? Because she has to? What would cause him to buy? What would cause her not to?
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If you’re truly doing your job as a copywriter, you’re on the way to knowing as much about that one person as you would a main character.
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So when I took my leap into fiction – mostly because the voice in one ear told me I could never to write a novel-length book, and the voice in the other ear wanted to prove it wrong – I realized I knew more about writing books than I thought.
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My biggest problem making the transition? In advertising, you’re trying to appeal to the masses. Your perfect customer tends to be stereotypical. In writing books, your perfect character isn’t.
While I understood that on one level, it was the next level that gave me problems. It took many years of learning to figure out how to make my characters as multi-layered as real people are. And I thank the authors and editors who gave me that part of my education for free.
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The problem with choosing author as a profession is the same as dreaming of becoming a professional athlete or singer or movie star. The world needs a zillion accountants and doctors and salespeople and garbage collectors, but there are only so many resources to go around to those who want to be in our profession.
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The great thing about writing – as opposed to the other glamour careers – youth doesn't matter. Thank goodness. I wish it had happened sooner for me, but sometimes I think that right now, at this moment, I can appreciate it more and run with it better.
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If you’re eighteen or five times that, and if writing is in your blood, keep going. Someone has to be the next JK, Judy, Lois, Matt or Louis. Right?
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I have a one-word wish for any author, whether you’re beginning your first book or selling your hundredth. It’s a word I need to remember every day.
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Patience.
For more off-the-top-of-my-head ramblings visit me at "http://jodyfeldman.livejournal.com"
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For more nuts & bolts advice, visit the mainstays in the children’s writing community:
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www.scbwi.org
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www.cynthialeitichsmith.com
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www.underdown.org
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www.verlakay.com