by Pam Hillman
There’s an old proverb that goes something like this, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you.”
Basically, the idea is if you don’t know about a problem or a misdeed, you won’t be able to make yourself unhappy by worrying about it.
Hmmm, okay.
But I suppose there is some merit to the saying, because up until three years ago, my husband and I didn’t have a television in our home. We pretty much missed all the insanity going on in the world for the last thirty years. Not that we weren’t aware and plugged in, but we just didn’t hear the news 24/7 like we do now. Now, we get a play-by-play of everything that’s going wrong in our world. I think I liked not knowing so much!
And, in the writing world, how can not knowing really be detrimental to a career? There are so many ways…
1) If you don’t know how to plot a compelling story, or how to build up tension or layer in details, keep writing, and keep learning the craft. But, first, just keep writing. You don’t get to the next step if you don’t write.
2) If you don’t know that Editor Erin loves stories featuring a love triangle, but Agent Angela isn’t fond of them at all, it might be a good idea to study up on their likes and dislikes.
3) If you don’t know the latest way the wind is blowing regarding ebooks vs. print books, why not?
4) If you don’t know if you’re writing Christian fiction or general fiction, keep writing until you do.
5) If you don’t know your story’s genre, then keep writing until you do. It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to self-publish or go the traditional route, your novel will eventually fit into some sub genre, and you’ll need to verbalize that.
6) If you don’t know about contracts/agreements and the traps to look for, it can certainly come back to haunt you. This applies to traditional publishing as well as self-publishing.
7) If you don’t know that a publishing house has closed its doors or discontinued a line, you’re really spinning your wheels by writing to the line. You’d be better off writing to your heart.
8) If you don’t know how to take your novel from your computer file to the reader (if you plan to self-publish), there’s a lot to learn. But you can do it. You have the tools at your disposal. Just keep writing.
9) If you don’t know about Seekerville, then you’re missing out on a ton of great teaching and blog posts that can answer all of the unknowns I’ve covered above and more.
10) If you don’t know about American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), then there’s even more knowledge to be gained within its ranks.
11) If you don’t know that you and only you can write the story that’s burning on your heart, then I’m here to tell you that you can. Start with #1. Write your story. Make it compelling. Write a story that you know backwards and forwards. And along the way, all the other points will come into play.
CBA Bestselling author PAM HILLMAN was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn't afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove an Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn't mind raking. Raking hay doesn't take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that's the kind of life every girl should dream of. www.pamhillman.com
