Mastering Your Writing Goals by Sandra Ardoin

If you write fiction, you know you have to dig deep into your character’s motivations. Writers must find that one thing their characters need, emotionally, so the reader sees their growth. We ask why and keep asking why until we scrape the bottom of their motivational roots. From there, our people bloom and blossom until we type “The End.”

Today I want to get you thinking about what will make you blossom as a writer, so I’ll ask:

At this point in your writing life, what is the one thing you feel you need on the way to mastering your writing potential, the next step to taking it up a notch?  

I’m not referring to a laptop, fancy pen, or any of the typical “tools of the trade.” Get practical, dig deep, and ask “Where am I now, where am I going, and how will I get there?”

• Do you want to improve your talent? 
• Do you want to improve your connections? 
• Do you need persistence in submitting? 
• Do you want to find more time to finish that WIP? 
• Do you need to be a social media whiz? 
• Have a top-flight agent or publisher?

How will you get there?

This is the hardest question and one that requires a plan. 

• Will you participate in writing courses, read more writing blogs? 
• Take part in groups on Goodreads, Facebook, and Google+ to build and boost your networking skills?
• Seek the encouragement of others when it comes to submitting your work?

Once you’ve figured out what it is you consider necessary to your future writing growth, share it in the comments, along with ways you might bring about improvement.

The Seriously Write blog is all about encouragement for writers and supplying tips to help you along your publishing journey. There’s a lot of good information to be found here. Let's all pitch in and provide some of that all-important encouragement. Readers, if you have suggestions or experience that will help others, please share! It's brainstorming for our careers!

Since I asked the questions, it’s only fair that I start, right? J

From a technical standpoint, I feel I need to master plot when it comes to writing a synopsis for an unfinished book. Being a part plotter, part pantser, that’s tough. I do fine until the climax. Then I freeze, trying to decide how I can make that portion of the book unique. I suppose I could study books I’ve enjoyed, but remember, I’m going for uniqueness.

I've decided my goal requires me to improve my imagination. So how is the best way to do that? I can brainstorm the climax with others, something I just did and it helps. I can sit with a pad of paper and do a timed exercise in which I write down every idea that comes to me, logical or not. I can pace my office and talk to myself. (Okay, I already do that.)  Any other suggestions? Help me out here.

Do you have any tricks of the trade that will help others? Where are you in your blooming process?

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(Cover Pending)

Sandra Ardoin is a multi-published author of short fiction. A fan of old westerns growing up, it’s only natural that she sets stories in the days of the horse and buggy. Her Christmas novella The Yuletide Angel will release in October 2014.

She’s the married mother of a young adult and lives in North Carolina. Learn more about her at www.sandraardoin.com and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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