Mark Helton is a young writer who is trying to deliver stories that make readers’ thoughts dwell on real life on top of the story itself.How long have you been writing?I’ve been seriously writing with intent to make it a career for a little over a year now, as of 2019.
What is the best of advice I have for new writers?
Admittedly, while I am still new myself, I’ve found that there are a few things I find myself doing. The best device I can offer is to write down a quick summary of any idea that pops into your head, even if you don’t intend on fleshing it out at the moment. You can always return to an idea you had, but only if you remember it.
What tips do you have for finding time to write?
Finding time to write doesn’t have to be something you constantly search for. So long as you’ve got something in your head that you just can’t wait to put down, you’ll find yourself realizing just how much time you have to write in your normal day. As for the busier person, I’d say to try and get any errands done soon that will leave open space another time.
Are you an outliner or a discovery writer? Or somewhere in between?
I’m in the middle of the two. Almost always I’ll have the beginning, end, or middle plot points ready and planned, but how I connect them all usually ends up being thought of in the writing process.
How do you deal with rejections?
Rejections aren’t inherently a bad thing. Sure, it can be discouraging if a publisher you really like denies you, or if one story gets rejected by many publishers, but that shouldn’t ever completely put you down and out. Rejection is unavoidable in the writing industry, so rather than taking every “no” straight to the gut, take it to heart. It’ll happen, and you’ll learn more about your writing and what you can do better every time. And it’ll just make it all the sweeter when you find that “yes.”
In your opinion, how important is a writing degree or MFA when it comes to achieving success in writing fiction?
Having a degree in writing makes a big difference. Anyone can write, but with the knowledge, feedback, and experience one gets in the process of acquiring a degree, one learns just what it takes to write a good story.
