Writing Into the Dark

I’ve always known that I have pantser proclivities, ever since I read Stephen King’s On Writing back when it was first released. I wrote my first three novels without an outline. However, I did go through the “standard” multiple revisions, sent it out to beta readers. Paid for an editor, etc. These are all the things the Indie Author industry tells you must do in order to achieve any sort of success. And for some, it may just work. But I’m going to be giving Dean Wesley Smith’s Writing Into The Dark method a shot.

Dean’s approach is pretty simple. Write your first draft, and you’re done. Have a special reader (that’ll be my wife) take a look just to make sure what you wrote makes sense, and then have someone do a mild proofread for misspellings, grammar, and the like, and then publish away. Then move onto the next project. Dean insists you do not need to hire an editor. In his view, the editor will take your voice and mold your work into the editor’s vision.

If I were just starting out, I’m not sure this would be the path I would follow. But having a few books under my belt now, I feel confident that I can follow Dean’s advice. I know it’s likely not for everyone, but everything he says hits the right chord with me and I shall endeavor to make my mark in the Indie world using his method and philosophy.