Susan Dennard, author of the Witchlands series and the recently released book The Luminaries, is known for her spot-on writing craft tips, found on her website and through her newsletter. So when I got the chance to see her on the Luminaries tour, it was no surprise that she was full of great writing and publishing advice as well. Here are just a few of the nuggets of wisdom she shared!
Things happen for a reason in publishing
Dennard talked about how if The Luminaries had been published when she first pitched it, it wouldn’t have been as good of a book. She realized that, at the time, she wasn’t a strong enough writer, and also that she was taking it way too seriously. She’s now able to see it as something more like a CW show (in her words), and lean into that vibe.
Everyone has a different method
For Dennard, the focus of a story, the thing that draws her in at the beginning, are the characters, the feels. That’s what she builds the rest of the story around. She spoke about being shocked when she talked to fantasy author Brandon Sanderson and heard how he’s a hardcore outliner. They both create incredible books with memorable characters, vivid worlds, and intense plots, but their approaches are drastically different. Learn to take what works for you and leave the rest!
Recognize which stage of competence you’re in
As she was beginning her writing journey, Dennard came across “the four stages of competence.” It’s super applicable to the writing process, and it can be helpful to identify which stage you’re in. It’s also reassuring to know that every writer you admire has been through these stages, and that you won’t be stuck in the early stages forever!
Unconscious incompetence (Ignorance)
Conscious incompetence (Awareness)
Conscious competence (Learning)
Unconscious competence (Mastery)
As you study craft, read good books, and practice writing, you’ll slowly move from that conscious competence of needing to remind yourself of all the aspects of a good story, into unconscious competence when it becomes second nature.
Don’t get away from the “id”
As you grow into unconscious competence, however, it can be easy to slip into focusing too much on what makes a “good story” and not on all the things you love about writing and what makes it a fun story. Dennard reminded everyone to write from the “id” (the primitive, instinctive part of your personality according to Freud) even as you grow better at writing craft. Don’t forget what makes you love your stories, what gets you excited about reading a book, and how you can incorporate that into your writing. She recommended this webinar as a resource.
Be aware of the pitfalls of different POV
The Luminaries is written in third person present, which is an unusual POV choice. Dennard talked about her various attempts to try and find the right POV for the book. You can’t be afraid to rewrite and experiment until you find the right way to write your story, even if it means rewriting a lot, and even if it means trying something new, either to you or generally in the book world. She also had a caution for everyone writing in first person present, which is growing in popularity—it’s easy to slip into using filter words in this POV. While that might sometimes be the right choice, make sure it’s a choice.
Bonus: The writing books Susan recommends
The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby
The Nutshell Technique: Crack the Secret of Successful Screenwriting by Jill Chamberlain
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book on Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need by Jessica Brody
Be sure to check out The Luminaries and Dennard’s other work!
Hemlock Falls isn’t like other towns. You won’t find it on a map, your phone won’t work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie’s town–and the rest of humanity–from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal–and restore her family’s good name. Or die trying. But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for. Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.
