By Jan McCanless
I was taken aback when
my publisher asked me to prepare a how to manual on writing. My whole writing
career was a complete surprise to me.
Always a lover of words
and books, I was exposed to them early, as my dad was a children's book
publisher, so, I never lacked for reading material. Through the years, I had
played around with writing, penning stories and short books, mostly for my own
amusement, and when I landed a writing job on the Junior High School newspaper,
I was overly delighted.
Time out for rearing my
children and I wanted to get back into the creative world once again, so, I
submitted an article to our local paper. They liked it, and asked me to do
another, then, another, and before you know it, I was writing a regular
newspaper column.
My first book came about
quite by accident, because I had this story running around in my head, couldn't
sleep because of it, so, I put it down on paper. One thing led to another, and
it was so well received, I did another one, and before you know it, I had
written an entire mystery series of nine books, plus put out two compilations
of my more humorous newspaper and magazine articles. At the moment, I write for
two newspapers, six national magazines, I’m midway through my 14th book, and
have even done some teaching of writing.
The thing is, aspiring
writers ask me how to get started, and what to do once that occurs. Every
writer has to find his own voice, his own genre, but once you find something
you're comfortable with, just start writing. Be accurate, be determined and
patient, and above all else, believe in your ability. Along the way,
you'll receive criticism, some helpful, some not, but, take what you can from
it, learn from it, and just keep at it. You're probably a lot better than you
think you are.
___________________________________________________________________
Jan McCanless is a free
lance newspaper columnist with 13 books to her credit, and one in progress. She
lives in rural North Carolina, is a retired high school teacher with 3 children
and nine grands. Listed in WHos WHo as a premier Southern Humorist, she has won
the Mother Vine award for her first compilation of Humor columns, entitled
Wyatt Earp, GAP Pickles, and Thoughts of Home. Named a woman of
the year in Rowan county years ago, she was also a candidate for International
Woman of the year by Traditional Home magazine, and nominated for the 9 who
Care award in Charlotte. She loves writing,and has enjoyed the reviews and
plaudits she has acquired for her Beryl's Cove murder mystery series. Stories
she calls, her happy murders, they are humorous, character driven plots,and
will invoke memories of Mayberry RFD and Murder , She wrote. She has also
written a manual for beginning writers called The In$ and Out$ of Writing for Money Currently writing book no. 14, the 9th in her series,
contact Jan at www.janmacbooks.com,
or janmccanless@aol.com Her books are avialable from amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and
book sellers around the country. Go to her website for a direct link to
purchase one of this award winning, best selling author's books. My social
media: contact pete.ramour.101613@comehangwith.us he maintains all social media for me.
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