Hi, everybody! And a happy Saturday to you all.
I know a lot of you out there are interested in writing. Well…not just writing. But BECOMING WRITERS.
And…see…not just writers but PUBLISHED AUTHORS.
And I’m pretty sure not just published authors but SUCCESSFUL, CAREER-HAVING MEGA AUTHORS.
Basically, I get the sense that a whole lot of you want to be Suzanne Collins. And you want to be Suzanne Collins right-freaking-now.
And, hey, I can’t blame you. Rarely a day goes by that I don’t want to write something like HUNGER GAMES.
But there is something that concerns me about all of this drive and ambition and impatience. You see, a lot of people out there want to do my job. But they seem to want to skip over the part where they learn how to do my job.
They don’t want to start and stop and restart a story two dozen times.
They don’t want to write 100,000 words no one ever sees.
They don’t want to fail, basically.
And, dude, I get it. No one likes failure! But that doesn’t mean failure doesn’t serve an incredibly important lesson in this business.
But don’t take my word for it.
Super awesome person and fabulous writer Beth Revis just posted this awesome blog entry on the subject.
If you want to be a writer, it is a must-read. So go read it. Go read it right now!
Ally
KatChameleon says
June 22, 2013 at 3:46 pmI understand what you’re saying Ally, but what if you’ve already written the 100,000 words that no one ever sees? The beginnings of a story that you’ve edited five thousand times and worried about so much that your English teacher had to talk you off of a ledge? I don’t want to be Suzanne Collins, I just want to write that which will make others feel good, and I am attempting to. What do I do now?
Melissa says
June 22, 2013 at 3:53 pmOh my gosh love it! Thanks Ally!
Tessa Newberry says
June 22, 2013 at 4:22 pmThank you so much for the reminder that failure is important!! 🙂 I think it’s really critical for successful writers (like you) to remind little wanna-be writers (like me) of this. It seems so easy to want success right now, and it hurts to think that there has to be failure first. So thanks for always being there to remind me that success comes through failures, but only when they’re accepted and used as learning experiences! Keep being awesome :))
Leah says
June 22, 2013 at 7:15 pmThis is so true!
LissyLouWho says
June 22, 2013 at 7:52 pmYour books are WAY better than the Hunger Games!!!! 😀
Kaitlin says
June 24, 2013 at 12:20 amI Agree on that. Gallagher girls and hiest society is way better than the hunger games!
teamsimon says
June 22, 2013 at 8:55 pmI get it. I do want to be a writer and I have definitely written 100,000 unread words. But I also don’t want to be a writer right NOW. I want to be a kid first and learn things and read so many books that I can at least get a basic understanding of writing. I want to figure things out first as well as fail because failing is part of whatever it is you want to do and it makes you work harder. Thank you Ally Carter.
Sandy says
June 22, 2013 at 10:13 pmYou are so right.
Annie says
June 22, 2013 at 10:47 pmI luv the way u talk
“Dude” or “freaking” it makes me feel like in talking to my best friend 😉
alexaa says
June 23, 2013 at 11:37 am🙂
Kaci says
June 23, 2013 at 9:53 pmI completely understand where you’re comming from. I’ve got those 100,000 words, started yet unfinnished stories, and personally, I’m glad I do. They are a learning experience and I take comfort in the idea that I can go back and look at previous pieces and take ideas or whatever from them. Still working on the patience part though, that one’s a little more difficult. 😉
S_E_G says
June 23, 2013 at 9:57 pmI think Zach is going to die in United We Spy!!!!!!!!!!!!
Maeve says
June 24, 2013 at 5:11 amNO NO NO NO dont say that!
Liz Slama says
June 24, 2013 at 11:44 amMy mom thinks so too, I also be sad if he die, he has the same name as my first and hopefully not lest boyfriend, do you know if this new book will be on e book?
Al says
June 23, 2013 at 10:42 pmThaks for this, Ally! You are awesome!
Kaitlin says
June 24, 2013 at 12:22 amThanks for reminding us! If you fail just keep on doing it and you will get the hang of it before it goes into something big!
JessicaN says
June 26, 2013 at 4:04 pmReading the blogs, Ally’s and Beth’s, made me realize something. I really DONT want publication as bad as I once thought I did. I still love to write and maybe I’ll finish my novel someday, but right now, I’m going to focus on what I know I love. And that’s photography. 🙂 Thanks for the reality check!
Addie says
June 28, 2013 at 11:51 pmHi ally I would love to become a writer, but I like writeing the short stories. I was also wondering if you ever concidered doing the same books you have but from someone else’s view. Write now I am doing one from Liz’s point of view from GG1 I’m up to page 10 but anyway do you have an email I could email you at I would
Addie says
June 28, 2013 at 11:51 pmHi