Authors

I was at Costoc this evening and walking through the area with books, looking to see if anything interested me. And I spotted a book by Sandra Brown. Now I have never been a fan, but I picked up the book and started reading, at first at random. I'm glad I did.

She is an interesting author. After I flipped to the front, I found the story interesting and engaging. It pulled me right in. I only stopped reading because my wife called me on my cell phone to ask where I was. She was in the checkout counter waiting for me.

There are times when I read other authors and think, why can't I do that? The writing seemed effortless and smooth. Is it good writing or good editing or both?

Chris Roerden's book on writing techniques says that agents and publishers aren't looking for someone they can help develop. They want a writer __ even a new writer __ to already be developed, just not published. The task of progressing from being an average writer to a polished writer is up to the writer virtually alone.

That is a sad commentary. But worse is that it leads directly into the classic paradox __ How can I develop into a better writer without some professional helping me when I professional won't help me if I haven't already developed into a better writer?

I will have to sleep on that one.

But for now, thanks for reading and don't give up.