Welcome to The Knight Stalker; a blog where PNR Author Shelbie Knight chats about what she loves most - reading and writing!

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May 14, 2013

Just a few thoughts on being an Author......
As an Author, there is one goal we all have - one event that makes our dreams come to life.  The dream of being published.  To say that we are a "published Author" is the ultimate goal.  Working as hard as we do, having a medium with which to show and distribute our work is the ultimate fantasy.
Since I started writing full-time, my goal has been just this.  First and foremost, my goal has been to write a good story.  A story that people will be drawn to.  Characters people will love and those they will love to hate, all within a world they want to live within.  This is what I work on daily.
There is nothing that makes us more proud than to have someone read our work and love it!  To have someone say "When are you writing another?" is the best compliment a Author can receive.
I have always believed in my writing ability.  Since I was young, I wrote to escape, to hide pain, to bring myself into another reality.  There were times, when I was younger, where writing saved my sanity; it was that important to me.  I always knew that I would be a writer, an Author.
I have no doubt that I will be successful at reaching my goals.  There is nothing in this world that can stop me from writing, including my brain!  My thoughts go day and night, non-stop, with ideas filtering through me for the current story I am working on, as well as new ideas.  Always new ideas; so many of them I could not possibly write them all in the years to come.
I have heard people ask "How do I know if I have the potential to be an Author?"  I think the answer to that is two-fold.
One, do you actually like to write?  There is nothing sexy or dramatic about what I do on a daily basis, hour after hour (well, to me it might be).  During these hours, you can either find me sitting at my computer, or you will find me with a note pad in my hand planning, sketching, writing.
Two, does your mind continually think of alternate ideas?  Do you look at a situation and have an idea for a story "pop" into your head?  I think this is the mark of a naturally skilled writer, someone who has a natural talent for writing, as I believe I do.  My brain is always ON.  I think it is likely that when I believe I am sleeping, that my brain is still in high gear.  It is the only way I can explain waking up with the ideas that I do.
My Husband says that he knows he is truly married to a writer because on my nightstand is a notebook and a pen - rather than a vibrator.  He thinks that is funny.  HA!  He is a comedian - NOT.
I say this - what do you have to lose?  If you love to write, then SIT DOWN AND WRITE.  Do not let anything stop you.  When you are done, after you have re-read, and re-read again catching mistakes, then give it to someone you know and let them read it.  Remember, when you give someone your work, for an honest opinion, you can not attack them when the critique your work!
Also, talk to other Authors and see what they have done.  Try not to be offended if some of them are wonderfully open and friendly and others are not.  Unfortunately, that is one thing that I learned immediately.  Success does not make the Author, rather it ruins some of them, but this is the minority.
On the whole, writers are an amazing group of people who will answer your questions and help you if they can.  I for one believe in "passing it along" for once you have reached success, it is your duty to be a guide to others.  After all, it is unlikely that you reached success alone, without the aid of many others - pass it along.  Don't become too good for yourself.
Read their work as well, observing how they build their story, how they build their characters and the world they live within.  I read non-stop, literally thousands of titles.  If I am not writing, I am reading.  Of course, you have to maintain a balance with anything, and that is where my Family comes in.
Well, I simply wanted to splurge.  This is helpful to me, before I sit down to write, to be able to get all of the ideas out of my head.  At least the ones that have nothing to do specifically with my story!
I hope that you all have a wonderful day!  Keep a smile on your face and a rainbow in your heart.
Shelbie =)

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