Don’t Quit

I just read a blog post written by Sean Dietrich. Y’all know who he is, funny guy from Alabama, Sean of the South. Here’s a link to that post:

https://seandietrich.com/you-suck-2/

Go read that first then come back here. I’ll wait.

I’m here to talk about the young lady whose work was criticized to the point of her wanting to quit. This post is for all of you who’ve felt like quitting at some point, whatever your dreams may be.

CRITIQUES THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO QUIT

As a writer, I’ve been there more than a time or two. Critiques can be hard to hear. Especially for a new writer.

I was still a fairly new writer in 2016, unsure of many things. Some of the notes written on the pages I got back from my first critique group were harsh, especially for someone who was still learning.

The next weekend, I went to another critique group. If you guessed it was a repeat, you’d be right.

It was painful. I cried. I felt like the young lady in Sean’s post.

Why did I ever think I could do this? Obviously, people who read my words all agreed . . . they weren’t good.

I called a friend and told her I wasn’t coming anymore.  Apparently, I didn’t know what I was doing. She talked me off the ledge and told me I couldn’t quit as the story was good, and I was a good writer.

Don't Quit @DDuPreeWilliams #writing #hardwork #edit Click To Tweet

INSTEAD OF QUITTING – LEARN AND GROW

I’ve since learned a thing or two, I’ve learned to have tough skin, and I’ve become much more confident in my God-given abilities. No way could I do this without Him. I’ve worked at this craft. Yes, it is a craft and one you can learn if you have a deep desire to do this. I read every how-to book out there, and went to conferences. I stayed in critique groups—yes, even the two above.

My first book was published in 2020 after weeks of hard work and sound, solid advice from Eva Marie Everson, editor of Grave Consequences.  I even learned to write using first person point of view by reading her book, The Road to Testament. Highly recommended.

EDIT, EDIT, EDIT

After those critiques, my second book (the one with the harsh opinions) became a disaster. I kept trying to fix this comment, or that suggestion—to the point of that manuscript reaching 140,000 words. There was a good story in all that mess, it was my job to find it. So, I read through every page and decided to stop where I originally ended the book, before all the fixes, and the extra sixty-thousand words. I managed to get it to something I thought was at least salvageable.

Fast forward to 2023 and a new editor, Andrea Merrell.

This past week, I gave her my final editorial changes. It’s back in her hands, and together, we will go over it all one final time.

I’m so glad I stuck with this story. It’s one I’ve wanted to tell for a while. I knew it was a good story, I just needed the right person to help me make it all it could be. My husband and I read it this past weekend with all of my editor’s suggestions in place. What a difference a good editor makes.

THEN FIND A GOOD EDITOR

All I can say is, don’t quit. Keep plugging away. Trust your story and find a really good editor.

Yes, you will have to pay that editor. My editor earns every penny, and yours will be too.  

I’m so excited for y’all to read Grave Decisions.

It was worth the tears, the lessons learned, and the time it took to get it to this point. I hope to be telling you where to find it soon.

BOTTOM LINE

Bottom line, if you feel called to write, or if at this point, it may not feel like a calling (it didn’t with me at first because I didn’t know that’s what it was—a calling) but you feel a story inside you clawing to get onto the page, listen to that voice inside saying, you can do this. Get those words on a blank page. Write your story. Find the best editor you can afford, then, release it back to God.

He already knows who will read it. Trust Him. And remember, He was with you as you wrote every single word.

I hope that young lady reads Sean’s post.

Blessings, y’all!!

When you think you can’t . . . HE CAN!! Trust Him!