I have friends who would tell you they are better at some parts of the story than others. For instance, one friend says he’s fantastic with the opening act. Another says he’s great with dialogue. Another says he’s got the finale nailed.
The key is: all those elements make one story. When I worked on base newspapers, I looked at the newspaper as a whole. How the medical pages ran into the sports section. Where the images fit on the page and how they flowed into the next page. How stories related. How things “felt” as you thumbed through the design.
Stories have a “feel” to them. All their elements relate. All the words relate. Words matter. Ultimately, how you use those words to make stories are ultimately what make you as a writer. I’ll have two focus points in coming posts about writing well in upcoming posts: 1.) that details make up the big picture; nailing those details to make one harmonious read, and 2.) marketing the hell out of anything you do in order for it to get any run.
Start with this, though: finish what you start. Don’t be afraid to start it. Write. Write. Write. Get it finished. Follow through. Until you finish something, you’ve written nothing.
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