Write For You First
Writing is a love of mine. It has brought me up when I’ve been down, it has made my dreams a reality, and given me an outlet for my emotions. My writing is an extension of me, just as a sword is to a swordsman, a hammer is to a blacksmith, a wand is to a wizard. I write to create. I write to live. I write for me.
It saddens me when I notice aspiring authors asking whether their story ideas match the current market. Did you not want become an author for the love of writing? I’m sure no one believes they will write a novel and instantly be earning millions. There is no get-rich-quick scheme. Are you going to put aside that marvellous plot you have been spinning for weeks during your daydreams merely because it is not the next ‘Game of Thrones’ or ‘Pride and Prejudice’? You want to write that story, the one that has been turning your mind into a playground, so write it!
Ever wondered how different genres were invented? Fantasy and Sci-fi? Horror? Paranormal? Steampunk and Post-apocalyptic? It was likely because an author wrote some different, something that was not applicable to the current ‘market’, and it caught on. I’m not saying that your story will create history in literature or that others stories will use yours as a genre template. Just write what you want to write and write it as if it is the best thing your imagination has created yet.
When I write I care not for whether others will buy or even read what I publish. The best feeling I get from writing is knowing that I have created something beautiful, a monument to the human imagination. I have slaved away outlining, typing a manuscript, editing, designing the cover, marketing, and… waiting. In the end, I have written a novel, something that is truly mine. A child of my mind. A vision made reality. I am proud because it is all mine and I have sacrificed nothing by writing exactly what I wanted unbiased by others opinions.
So, my message to all aspiring authors is to write the story that you want to write. Put aside all those distracting thoughts about whether your book will be accepted by an agent, whether it will sell, whether it will be read. You want to be an author for a reason; I’m guessing you love to write stories. Then just write.
Scarlett Van Dijk
Want to know more? Meet Scarlett!
Scarlett Van Dijk is an Australian author of young adult fantasy novels. Her debut novel, Sky Stone, is expected to be published this year.
Scarlett began writing novels at the age of fifteen when she discovered how writing can make dreams come to life. Writing was an emotional release for her during high school and continued to be during university when she began writing the sequel to Sky Stone, Guardian Core.
She is currently undertaking her final year at university, studying Medical Imaging, and hopes to be a fully qualified radiographer at the end of this year. In her spare time, when she isn’t writing, she likes to train in martial arts or connect with other authors online.
To connect with Scarlett please visit her website: http://scarlettvandijk.weebly.com/