STEPS TO STORY EP 3 - Is Your Work Worthy?
[00:00:00] Nicole Meier: If your story is one that you care about, it is absolutely worthy. Instead, it's the structure, the way in which you're telling it, that might need strengthening. It's not about what you're creating, it's about how you're creating it.
[00:00:23] Nicole Meier: Welcome to Steps to Story, a show that helps aspiring authors turn their ideas into action. And transform their dream of writing a book into a reality. I'm your host, Nicole Meyer, multi published author and certified book coach. I spent the first part of my fiction writing career desperate for guidance that was unavailable to me.
[00:00:45] Nicole Meier: I wrote draft after draft, flying by the seat of my pants. With lots of passion, but little guidance. Thankfully, there was a writing community that opened its arms and welcomed me. This community sustained me. But when it came to strengthening my novel writing process, I was determined to find a better way.
[00:01:06] Nicole Meier: One that didn't involve piecemeal strategies. and confusing courses. Now, more than a decade later, I'm serving my younger self, who yearned for support while writing a book. If you're an emerging author seeking guidance, this podcast is for you. Are you on the list to get my novel writing guide? I designed this workbook to take you through five essential strategies that will level up your novel writing process.
[00:01:36] Nicole Meier: Grab your free copy at NicoleMeyer. com forward slash crafting greatness. That's NicoleMeyer. com forward slash crafting greatness or at the link in the show notes.
[00:01:57] Nicole Meier: Welcome writers. Today we're going to talk about the difficult question of whether or not your work is worthy. As a book coach who's worked with so many different types of writers over the years, I get asked this question all the time. And as an author, I've been there too. So I get it. The number one thing writers come to me wanting to know.
[00:02:18] Nicole Meier: is whether or not their story idea is unique enough, whether their writing is good enough, and whether or not they have what it takes to get published. Here's the truth. My answer is always the same. If your story is one that you care about, it is absolutely worthy. Instead, it's the structure, the way in which you're telling it, that might need strengthening.
[00:02:44] Nicole Meier: In other words, it's not about what you're creating, it's about how you're creating it. Let's dive into why this is. First let's talk about the creative process as a whole. At any given phase of the creative process, self doubt or imposter syndrome is bound to creep in. This is natural and affects nearly every author I know, myself included.
[00:03:10] Nicole Meier: I can't tell you how many times I held my breath as I hit send. when delivering a manuscript draft to my editors and publishers. Sharing our work is such an intimate and vulnerable thing, so it's hard not to worry over its value. But here's the deal, even famous authors struggle and have openly shared their battle with feelings of unworthiness.
[00:03:35] Nicole Meier: Take Maya Angelou, for example. Despite her groundbreaking work, including the autobiographical I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou often felt like she would be exposed as a fraud. She once said, I've written 11 books, but each time I think, uh oh, they're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody, and they're going to find me out.
[00:04:00] Nicole Meier: Can you relate to this feeling? I know I can, but rest assured it's a totally common part of the writing process. So, let's talk now about external validation versus intrinsic value. In the world of writing, the pursuit of external validation is a path well trodden. The longing for approval from peers, critics, or an audience can be a powerful motivator.
[00:04:28] Nicole Meier: But it also raises important questions about the true measure of one's worth as a writer. In this regard, I believe there's a fine balance between getting a bit of validation and also learning to trust our intuition. In my opinion, finding intrinsic value in the act of writing itself should supersede the need for outside approval.
[00:04:52] Nicole Meier: In other words, the process of creating, expressing your authentic voice, and weaving narratives holds rewards that extend beyond external recognition. The joy of discovery, the therapeutic nature of self expression, and the sheer satisfaction of putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, contribute to the overall experience of writing.
[00:05:17] Nicole Meier: But with that said, I understand the need for some kind of measure to find out if your writing is worthy. So let's talk about ways you can have agency over your process. and measure your novel writing work. So let's say you want to consider your manuscript either partial or full to see if it holds up and represents that great story idea that's in your head.
[00:05:41] Nicole Meier: For this exercise, I encourage you to see if you can look at it a bit more objectively for a moment. First, evaluating your novel manuscript all starts with considering the elements of story structure. When looking over your work, ask yourself, Is your outline, summary, or manuscript hitting all of the basic elements of story structure?
[00:06:03] Nicole Meier: Does your plot follow a clear path, one where each scene drives the story forward? Is there an identifiable beginning, middle, and end, complete with conflict and resolution? And do your characters have an arc of change, one that includes learning lessons and overcoming obstacles along the way? Do they come onto the scene at chapter one in their status quo and then come out a newly evolved, changed person by the end?
[00:06:37] Nicole Meier: And does your story's setting ground your reader in place and time? Can we tell the era, location, cultural references? Do you need to do a bit of world building, especially if it's genre fiction? Ask yourself if your reader can envision the world in which your character is living. If not, consider ways you might show this.
[00:07:02] Nicole Meier: Then is there a clearer point of view? Can your reader tell whose story it is? Does the narration reflect this in a natural way? And finally, is the overall story reflecting your intent for how you want your readers to feel by the time they reach the end? If you can address each of these to the best of your ability, and possibly even seek helpful feedback in order to strengthen your story, then you're well on your way.
[00:07:34] Nicole Meier: Want a handy guide to help you flesh out these elements of story even more? Head over to NicoleMeyer. com forward slash crafting greatness to grab your free download. To recap, trust that what you're going through is a natural part of the process. Know that your intuition should supersede the need for outside validation.
[00:07:56] Nicole Meier: Use basic elements of story structure to measure your writing work, and seek feedback if and when you feel ready. Thanks for tuning in, everyone. Until next time, happy writing!
[00:08:13] Nicole Meier: If you want to check out my coaching programs for fiction writers, visit NicoleMeyer. com. That's M E I E R. And if you liked this episode, I'd love you to take a minute to leave a rating and review for this podcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show. and to get going on their writing journey.
[00:08:34] Nicole Meier: Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happy writing everyone.