• Julie Luek
  • [Making the Leap] Have You Experienced The Writer's Learning Curve?
[Making the Leap] Have You Experienced The Writer's Learning Curve?
Contributor
Written by
Julie Luek
May 2013
Contributor
Written by
Julie Luek
May 2013

In my Life Before Writing, I worked at a college learning center.  We spent many appointments working with students on studyskills. As obvious as learning sounds in a college setting, it’s amazing how many young adults successfully made their way through high school ill-equipped to learn. Unfortunately, when they got to college, they needed to acquire a whole new set of skills to achieve success. It had nothing to do with ability—it was a set of skills: how to read more actively, how to memorize more efficiently, effective study and time management skills, learning to discern important information in lectures. It was a steep learning curve for some.  But if they were motivated enough to succeed, they figure out new techniques and applications and soon had a set of new learning tools to apply to their college courses. This wasn’t about being smart or gifted or talented. It was about learning a new skill set for college success.

 

Since taking this writing leap, I feel like some of those students. I’ve had a very steep learning curve. I was ill-equipped and underprepared for the dream I’d chosen to pursue. But I jumped anyway. Some of what I've learned seems very obvious now; I've wondered how I could have been so naïve two years ago. But that’s the point of a learning curve I suppose. 

 

Here are a few embarrassing admissions of my learning curve journey:

  1. I didn’t realize how very difficult it is to be published by one of the big publishing houses, and along with that, how much marketing is expected of the author!
  2. I knew nothing about querying agents and made every newbie mistake.
  3. I didn’t even realize you can self-publish.
  4. I didn’t understand how important a professional editor is to a manuscript.
  5. I had to learn about POV.
  6. I had to learn what POV stood for—and MS, and WIP and all the other acronyms writers throw around.
  7. I had to reread Strunk and White’s Element of Style…again and again and yet again (OK honestly, this is still a learning curve.)
  8. I didn’t know I would like writing nonfiction better than fiction. I thought all writers wrote novels.

 

…just to name a few. But here’s maybe the best, and most hopeful, thing I’ve learned since I started writing:

 

If I’m willing to take advantage of the resources available in books, other writers and online sites,

I can gain new skills, and I will keep on learning!

 

One of my favorite quotes is by Daniel Pink (author of many books including A Whole New Mind and Drive).  I wrote it on an index card and keep it handy on my desk to remind me this isn’t about being a gifted student. It’s about being a hard-working learner:

 

Don’t worry about what other people think. And work harder. Persistence almost always trumps talent.

 

This is good news for someone like me with a steep learning curve. Persistence I’ve got.

 

What about you? Have you had a learning curve since you made the writing leap? What have you learned? What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you started? What encouragement would you give others just making the leap in their own writing journey?


Keep writing (and learning!),

Julie

Let's be friends

The Women Behind She Writes

519 articles
12 articles

Featured Members (7)

123 articles
392 articles
54 articles
60 articles

Featured Groups (7)

Trending Articles

Comments
  • Julie Luek

    Thanks for the note-- I look forward to visiting your blog. I love meeting new writer friends. Although published in magazines, I have yet to venture into book publishing, but it's certainly on the bucket list. Glad to know I have a friend in the journey!

  • Lifan Writing

    Hi Julie , I know this is an old post. I have to catch up with some of the posts in my mailbox. In July, I attended the Winchester Writers' conference in UK and had a whale of time spending the weekend at the University of Winchester. I learnt a little about the writing process from the talks and workshops that i had attended. interesting. I found the entire experience uplifting although becoming a published writer remains a distant dream. All the best to your writing journey. Hope you visit my blog http://lifang-leehong.blogspot.com/ Cheers !! Lee Hong

  • Alexandra Caselle

    Thanks, Julie.  I will check out that book.

  • Julie Luek

    Alexandra-- Isn't there an awful lot of lingo mumbo-jumbo to learn in freelancing? I read a couple great books including The Renegade Writer that really helped me learn. And I'm still learning. I'm so impressed with all you're doing. Your writing is beautiful and I know this is just the beginning!

  • Alexandra Caselle

    AJ--Congratulations on making that first step to pursuing your writing full-time.  It can be scary, but you are doing what you love and your passion will move you forward.  I wish you much success.

    Julie, I know I am a little late to the discussion.  I have definitely had some learning curves.  I am learning about working with editors and the expectations that publications/editors have of freelance writers.  I am learning that it is about tailoring your writing to the publication. Writing, like education, is full of acronyms and terms I have had to learn as well.  Pitch doesn't mean throw your messy first drafts in a curveball.  It means present or sell your ideas.  I am still learning about queries and time management, and how to alternate from article writing to prose to poetry.  I am gaining more confidence in what I do.  I finally feel like I can call myself a writer, even though one relative consistently tells me I need to focus on my day job, which is a real job in her opinion.. :)

  • Julie Luek

    Hi Marie--I really appreciate your perspective. They go hand-in-hand!

    Jody- What a great idea. I bet you all get a lot of out reading and sharing conversations. I may take you up on this offer-- thank you for extending it!

  • Jody Gore

    love your drawing...new here also. I have found that I learn by teaching. I started a group entitled Workshops and it is for studying writing books like, Elements of Style, and why learning it is a big deal if you want to write well. I would love to have you join the group. I think you would be a great asset to the group. 

    Jody Gore

  • Julie Luek

    AJ-- Good luck with your job search and you claim your name proudly! Yes, I love the comments on She Writes in general. Such an open, honest and sharing group of writers hang out here. 

  • Mary E. Merrell

    AJ -  loved your comments. I heard bird by bird is good. I've been unemployed for almost a year now. Can't believe time went so fast. Trying to get my writing out there in hopes it can make enough money so I can at least work part-time, but for right now, I'm still sending out my resume and going on interviews where three much younger girls are waiting for their interview as I walk out the door, and two of them are named Heather. When did the name Heather become popular again. And to top it off, the temporary office staff was named Heather as well. Waiting to see if I get a call back on that job. Everyone's comments are great. I liked Lorraine's too. Very insightful and something I need to make sure I do.

  • Julie Luek

    AJ-- Yeah, you can go ahead and call it prostituting. ;)  It's a lot of time isn't it? Welcome to my leaping world of quitting work and giving this writing gig full-time attention. Let me know if you need support!

    Cathy-- Your comment made me laugh. That's me too. Yup, two years and still learning. Glad to know I'll be in good company at five years too!

    Lorraine--I couldn't have said any of that better and hope others read your great comment!

  • Lorraine Swoboda

    I've learned that it's the voices of the characters that matter, not mine; that I have to disappear behind the story, like the puppet master - never seen, just there to make the people dance. That the reader matters as much, if not more, than the writer.

    If you've been writing for any length of time, you will realise that the world has changed exponentially in the last five years; the internet, e-publishing, the computer itself, are all far bigger, far more readily available, than they ever were.Self-publishing was a dirty word five years ago: now it's far more acceptable. Publishing houses ruled the writing world then, whereas now they are at the mercy of the money men, and will take far fewer risks.

    The learning curve is that you can't stop learning, and using what you learn.

  • Cathy C. Hall

    I had so much to learn that I had a regular blog post called, "What NOT to Do Wednesdays" about the mistakes I made (and what I learned from the mistakes). I wish I could say that after five years or so, I've run out of that particular post. But pffft. Seems like there's always something new for me to learn.

    The trick, I think, is to LEARN from your mistakes and keep at it. I completely agree with Daniel Pink. Persistence is golden when it comes to writing!

  • AJ Collins

    I've been writing for years, have considered myself a "writer" since I was a teen... but to say I was actively pursuing writing as a job at any point before today... nope.  I am a newbie, in fact my last day of work was yesterday, and as of today I am a "free-lance" writer.  It makes me laugh to type it.   I have learned in my unofficial capacity as a writer of a blog, that editing is painful, that getting your name out there is the secret to a better platform... which means you have to go rub elbows in the "right" circles and comment and basically "sell yourself"(in a purely non-prostitute sorta way), and of course read and read and read.  I just read Bird by Bird {Anne Lamott} and found it to be one of the best books I've read about writing... :)  Great list, can't wait to learn more.

  • Julie Luek

    Grace- Oh I'm with you-- so very thankful for all the great information, resources and friends online who have helped me grow and continue to help me grow!

  • Grace Peterson

    Heck yeah. :)  I started writing professionally in 2003 and I'm still learning. I'm grateful for so many wonderful online people and resources to help with the process. Great post!

  • Julie Luek

    Patricia-- Amen, my persistent writing sister!

    Gloria-- I've actually heard similar stories from different writers, or else they wrote three before they actually had one they could query. It makes me feel good to know it can take time for all of us. 

  • Great post. We all begin someplace along that line. I was relieved when I learned about the 10K hours it takes to learn a new skill. Then I knew I wasn't so abnormal because it took me ten years to write my first book.

  • Persistance almost always trumps talent!  Like that.  I'm persistant if nothing else.  :) 

  • Julie Luek

    Cynthia--rejection used to really bother me-- just sink in my gut and make me feel like a failure. Amazing how I just kind of roll with it now. It still smacks a little but is much less daunting. Ahhh-- the sad truth.

    Peg-- OK I hate to admit it, but I think once upon a time, I did indeed imagine a romanticized the writer's life. I now realize the slim reality of ever rolling in a luxurious Stephen King type lifestyle. But, I do think the freedom of time, the ability to work from home, the satiation of curiosity, and writing in my pj's is a very nice trade off.

  • Julie Luek

    Mary Jo-- It is evolving isn't it. People on the internet like Jane Friedman really help with that piece of the curve.

    Mary-- What's with all those acronyms? And I felt so foolish having to ask. Now I like to wing 'em around. ;)  And yes, I hear many writer say, "I just had to tell that story..."

    Fiona-- I appreciate you sharing that insight. I think the financial aspect is a reality maybe we don't really grasp until we actually start the journey. But in a world where getting published with one of the big houses is a diminishing reality, our own financial investment is probably a fact.

  • Julie Luek

    Ingrid--I couldn't have said it better. Yes, we learn and then realize how much we have yet to learn and, like you, I can't imagine doing anything else.

    Deborah--Oh me either or how much time it can take and yet, it must be done.

    Fran--Good reminder about persistence. I may try my hand at fiction again, but for now, I really have fun with nonfiction. Thanks for the encouragement to persevere.

  • Peg Herring

    I think everyone here can identify with your post. The Jessica Fletcher/Rick Castle lifestyle is in our heads, but we soon learn that the term "starving artist" applies to writing artists as well. Very good writers go unnoticed, but you're right: persistence is key.

  • Cynthia Platt

    Rejection is just a part of the process. Not a pleasant part, of course, but a necessary one as I grow as a writer.

  • Fiona McGier

    I didn't realize how much of my own money I'd have to spend trying to get noticed among the many, many books e-published each and every day.  That has ranged from the yearly cost of my website, to paying for advertising on blogs, to paying major money for an ad in a national review magazine.  Some smaller publishers charge for the option of your book in paperback and none of my friends had e-readers when I started, so in order to make any sales at all, I had to pay per title, at one publisher, and buy a lot of books from another (where only 1 of my 4 book is in paperback, for obvious reasons.)  Somehow I'd like to have some readers who I don't know personally, reading my books.  But finding those readers is a very expensive and time-consuming third job for me.

  • Mary E. Merrell

    Oh, and I have to agree with Mary Jo Burke. I didn't know POV from WIP either.