writing well

     There are a lot of books out there on how to make a good living as a self-published writer.  Some of them offer some very good advice.  One snippet of advice, however, seems to be prevalent among the majority of the books that I have read.  That is: write more books.  After that there are usually tips on how to write faster.  To some that works just fine.  I tried following that advice, though I was working a 40 plus hour real job and didn’t have a lot of time.  I wrote more, but got sloppy and put out work that I was not proud of.  At the time, I thought my writing was good.  I’m not necessarily talking about grammar and spelling, though I know they are import aspects as well.  I’m talking about the construction of the story itself.
One problem I found when I went back to my books was that I was not meticulous about the details and I think that’s essential.
     In one of my books I had a character carrying a backpack.  A little further in the story the backpack is mysteriously absent.  Some may not have noticed, but I should have.  I have since corrected that.
     In other cases, an explanation for an action, or a scene, is too confusing, or seems too unlikely.  Though my stories are fiction I need write them as if they are true, as if I were on a stand being drilled by a skilled attorney.
     Keeping characters true to their nature can be a problem for me sometimes.  I constantly have to ask myself if my character is responding to a certain situation as is true to their nature.  If not, I need to have a reasonable explanation of why the reaction is not what is expected.  This can take a little time.
     I’m all for a professional editor but I think an author needs to go through their work at least a couple of times before turning it over to an editor.  I have learned over time that this is something I need to do.  I’m looking for the abstract.  Are my characters behaving the way I want them to?  Are they funny?  Are they serious?  What makes them cry?  What makes them angry?  And, what about the plot?  How much should I reveal early on?  How much do I reveal as a surprise?  Do all the situations work together to form a suitable end?  What I’m getting at is that good syntax by itself doesn’t guarantee a good story.  I like what Dean Koontz has said.
 
I don't write a quick draft and then revise; instead, I work slowly page by page, revising and polishing.
     DEAN KOONTZ
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dean_koontz.html
 
I've got a long list of books I wish I'd never written-and I've kept them all out of print for the past 20 years.
     DEAN KOONTZ
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dean_koontz.html
 
     What I’ve learned is that I can’t roll out a decent book in just a short time.  I’ve tried it.  For me it doesn’t work.  I’ve decided to concentrate on the quality of the story as best I can and if it takes more time than I would like I’ll just have to live with it.  This is hard for me because I am impatient.  Before I’m even finished one book I’m ready to start on another.
     I would like to say that everything I put out from now on will be best-seller material.  Man, that would be great!  But the truth is I’m still learning.  Don’t count me out, though, I’ve still got my eye on the prize.
 
Thanks for reading
Gary