Do you struggle with an internal editor? Or maybe you are new to writing and unsure about handing your manuscript over to a critique partner? You’re not alone. Every writer deals with both of these issues to some degree. But how do you get past them?
Today, we have author Jebraun Clifford with us for Wisdom Wednesday. Welcome, Jebraun!
Name: Jebraun Clifford
Genre: Science fiction and fantasy
Upcoming Anthology Release: Encircled
Writing Tip:
Learn how to turn off your internal editor! I’m a bit of a grammar nerd and end up spending way too much time checking my spelling, grammar, and sentence structure when I’m writing a first draft. Instead of letting the words flow (and reassuring myself I’ll go back later and fix stuff), I find it easy to get bogged down in the details of editing as I write. And, unfortunately, the editorial side of your brain doesn’t play nicely with your creative side. I have to tell myself often what Shannon Hales said, “I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” So shovel in that sand, get those words in, and work on creating a masterpiece after the first draft is finished.
I’ve always liked this quote. I battle with my internal editor as well, but I’ve finally got to the point where I can write the entire first draft without editing each chapter as I go. It’s still hard at times, but I keep reminding myself that the first draft is supposed to be messy. It just has to exist.
Advice For New Writers:
Don’t be afraid to share your writing with other writers. It can be scary, handing over your precious scribblings, but finding a critique group of like-minded writers was the best thing I ever did. My writing improved immensely, and I ended up becoming friends with the amazing group that is publishing this anthology!
I completely agree. It’s hard to hand them over to someone and wait to find out what they think about the story. Writing groups are amazing, and the people there know exactly what you are feeling/thinking because they’ve had those same fears at some point.
Back cover blurb for “Beyond the Stars and Past the Moons” which is a science fiction re-telling of the fairy tale “East of the Sun, and West of the Moon” in the anthology, Encircled:
Astrid makes the mistake of landing on a derelict moon base above a planet with a corrosive atmosphere. Inside the base lives Milos, a lonely young man who always wears his space suit and a reflective helmet. The base seems familiar, like from a memory or dream. What isn’t Milos telling her? And why won’t he show her his face?
Milos waits for the one destined to break his curse. When Astrid arrives, he realizes she’s everything he’s dreamt about for the last five hundred years. Can she save him before the sorceress who imprisoned him wakes up and destroys them both?
Too short to be an elf and too tall to be a Hobbit, Jebraun Clifford lives smack-dab in the centre of New Zealand’s North Island surrounded by thermal activity, stunning lakes, and enough Redwoods to make her Californian heart swoon. She writes about discovering identity, living without fear, and enjoys creating fantastic worlds. She loves coffee, tree ferns, dark chocolate, and Jesus, and harbours a secret penchant for British spelling.
Social Media:
Encircled pre-order campaign: https://forms.gle/PRK6HSRgUbbzQAYN7
https://www.facebook.com/jebraun.clifford.author/
https://www.instagram.com/jebraunclifford/
https://amazon.com/author/jebraunclifford
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18985233.Jebraun_Clifford
Before you go, take a moment and connect with Jebraun on social media and preorder the anthology, Encircled, which releases on April 16th.
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