Back to Formula...?

 

Yes, back to formula. Specifically, the writing formula. The one that has been successful for hundreds if not thousands of professional writers. And what is that formula? It depends on who you ask.

No, it's not that the formula is different. Not exactly, at least. The variations are there, but they are slight, often just in wording the same idea in different ways.

Now, bear in mind, there are two schools of thought on writing. The first one, and the one that most people think is the only acceptable one, is the one that involves outlining books, rewriting and polishing a manuscript, and sending it off to a publisher or an agent in the hopes of being signed to the next Stephen King contract.

The second one, and the one that works better for me (and many, many other writers, even if they don't publicly admit it) is where you just write. Finish the book, spell-check it, give it to a reader to do another spelling and grammar check, then publish the thing on Amazon or some other online self-publishing outlet. No re-writing after it's done.

My mentor in this...actually, I've had a few, but the most immediate one is Dean Wesley Smith, who has written and published a few hundred books over the years, as well as run his own publishing house. He's the one who introduced me, through his blog, to Heinlein's Rules, as well as my first awakening to the possibilities of writing, Pulp Speed. It was that post that made me sit up and realize that all my beliefs about writing were wrong. I didn't have to sit and rewrite constantly; I didn't have to spend weeks worldbuilding and outlining. Just sit down and write. That's how the professionals did it back in the days of the Pulps, and that's how many of them still do it today.

It's a simple formula; just write. And it's one I've neglected for quite a while as we got the farm established. But it's time to get back to formula and make the magic happen once again. 2023 will be a great year.