Diary of a Stage 3 Writer

A new section of the newsletter

Hi, Everyone,

Where to start?

What’s up with WWT?

I think the reason WWT has stagnated is because I’m not really in that stage anymore (more on this below, and to come). I’m not getting much skill boost anymore from reading and recording what other people say about the craft of writing.

This approach—reading for the good stuff and recording it all in one place— worked well for certain skills that are fairly easy to “see” and that anyone looking with a careful eye can point out to other writers, like structure. But now I feel like I’m reaching for skills that are more subtle. Things that are maybe there but that mostly only good working fiction writers can explain. (And since they’re working fiction writers, they’re generally not writing nonfiction books to explain—and who can blame them? Fiction is way more fun.)

What are those subtle craft things? Well, that’s what I’m wanting to get clear about.

Hence a new outlet. And I’m doing it here, on the newsletter as opposed to on WWT, because I want to keep WWT a tidy place for craft. Though when I learn something new in this more subtle level of craft, I will definitely write a post on WWT summing it all up. (Believe it or not, I probably use WWT as a craft resource more than anyone else.)

I have only glimpses of what this new level of craft and what this new outlet might look like. But here’s the plan so far.

The New Section of the WWT Newsletter

The Content

This was all sort of inspired by a bunch of posts I read over on Dean Wesley Smith’s blog, about writing and learning from writing and shipping short stories. He talks about the stages of a writer, and I feel like I’m an early Stage 3 writer. What I’ve got going for me is that I’ve long been focused on the craft of story, not just tinkering with words (though I definitely do), and I know how to revise when I need to and how to do it from a creative rather than critical place.

What I want to improve on is writing more consistently, writing cleaner, and finishing. And learning more of those upper levels of craft. And shipping. And…

So that’s the basis. I imagine I’ll get into new craft; new process; new helpful routines and habits; new writing, working, and business insights. That kind of thing.

The Schedule

I’m envisioning a weekly round-up style post, with key takeaways for the week, and a monthly highlights post.

There may eventually be some dailies too, once I get more in the swing of things and have more to say. (If this truly happens and happens hardcore and gets to be too much, I’ll separate the dailies into their own section.)

The Benefit of Substack

I’ll be turning on paid subscriptions. That said, I don’t yet feel that I’ve earned (deserve? am worthing of?) this…despite all the work that I’ve already put into WWT. So although I am making myself turn on paid (and daring to hope that some of you subscribe), the posts for now will be free. But eventually, when I get my bearings, the weeklies and dailies will be switched to paid and the monthly will remain free.

And, of course, the WWT-oriented posts, rare as they are, will always be free.

We start next week.

Are you in?

If you want to follow along and learn with me, do nothing! You’re subscribed to this new section of the newsletter. (Unless you’re not, in which case…

If you only want the occasional WWT-oriented newsletters, with updates about the site (like when I post those summing-up posts) and classes and opportunities and whatnot, then you can toggle the off-switch to the diary right here:

Thanks for reading!

I hope your writing’s going well. Keep at it!

Megan