We're still going strong with this series in which editors, agents, authors, and publicists give their responses to this question:"If you could say one thing to aspiring novelists, what would you say?"
My one bit of advice would be, "Don't get it right, get it written." I heard someone say this years ago when I was struggling to get started. At the time, I wrote the first three chapters over and over, editing and polishing, then I'd lose interest in the rest of the book and not finish. This piece of advice changed everything for me. Once I decided to write the whole first draft without judgment, and without going back to rewrite, I was able to keep my momentum building and finish a book. THEN I could begin rewriting. But once I get the first draft down, rewriting is easy. No matter how much rewriting is needed, I know I can do it because I've already written the whole book once.
--Terri Blackstock, author of the Restoration series, Newpointe 911 series, Cape Refuge series, and many more novels. Visit her online at her website here.
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