I Have No Idea What I'm Doing

I have a confession to make.  I'm clueless.  No really.  I have no idea what I'm doing.  I've spent the past seven months reading everything I can find all over the internet and in books about the writing process - and yet there's still so much I don't know.

People in the blogosphere (I didn't realize that was actually a word - but yep!  My spell check confirms it is so) go on and on about how to do this and that regarding writing, finding an agent, or getting published, and I wanted to be one of those people. But what the heck do I know?  Not a whole lot.  I know more than I did not that long ago, and am learning at a pace slightly faster than the average snail, I do know that.  (Not very inspiring, am I?  Imagine how I feel!)

My plan for today's post was to answer a few questions regarding issues many "new" writers seem to have (I use the term " new writers" loosely because there are so many definitions to that word) - questions I had myself at the beginning.  The "What does this mean?"  "Where do I learn about that?" kinds of questions.

But I've changed my mind.  That's now being pushed to Friday.  And even then, links are going to be my main resource - because I really don't have the proper expertise in the writing field just yet to be acting like I know what I'm talking about.  

There are many people out there who do know what they're talking about though.  Take Susan Shapiro, for instance.  She has much to say about "How to Get Great Writing Gurus of Your Own" on The Nervous Breakdown, and I'm going to be all over that site like rats on peanut butter (sorry, unless you've seen the movie Wanted, one of my favorite movies at the moment, you're going to have no clue what I'm talking about) from now on.  A writer friend of mine, one of the few local writers I've met these past six months in fact, turned me on to this new (new to me, not new to the web - at least I don't think it's very new - I'm not sure - I'm new there) writer's website, and I love it.

So until Friday, my readers, enjoy that link...and keep doing what we all love doing the most - writing!


5 comments:

Anita said...

Thanks Jessica.

One of my occasional worries is the possibility of running out of things to write about. I guess that's writer's block, even though I'm just writing in the blog.

I really want to keep it up, because I think it is a jump start to some future writing opportunity - for Pay!

Stay with it! I believe you are learning more than you perceive; that everyting is getting stored in pockets of your brain, and will come out pieced together when opportunity knocks. :)

Happy New Year!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

It does seem like an endless process! I can't tell you how many books & websites & people have been part of my research process. I think I own every marketing book ever printed, too!
Enjoy the process - even when you do 'arrive,' trust me, you'll keep growing and learning!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Don't get discouraged. We all feel the same way at times, because no matter how much we learn or think we know, there is still so much more knowledge left out there. It sounds like you know a whole lot!

Thanks for the link. :-)

Jessica L. Brooks (coffeelvnmom) said...

Thanks for your encouraging words, guys! I am sticking with it, still learning every day, and trying to meet as many fellow writers as possible. (The more, the merrier, in my opinion!)

Lydia Sharp said...

Just wanted to say, I love your blog! Not sure if it's because you're a writer, a mom, your love of coffee ... or maybe it's all those cute little owls. *shrugs*

Don't worry too much about what you don't know (yes, you have to learn, but I meant as far as blogging is concerned). Talk about what you DO know like you're an expert (it works for me anyway).

I'm adding you to my Writer's Blog list. Check it out:
The Sharp Angle