You never stop learning

     When I started writing I was teenager. I couldn't escape the ideas that brewed in my mind. I had to get them on paper. I had to write. It was an escape, an outlet from the small tragedies of adolescence. I didn't know much about prose, voice, plot structure, the different kinds of characters and all the other things writers have to worry about, especially in the editing phase. I didn't know the exact meaning of every element, but some came naturally. I suppose that's where talent came in.
     Once I made the crazy conscious decision, "I want to be a writer," I became more serious about structure and genre. I wanted to be a novelist. This happened in my early 20s. The stories building in my head became books (books I started, yet never finished). I don't know how many documents I had, notebooks filled with ideas, outlines, beginnings, character descriptions. There were several stacking up in the corner of my room, on my computer. I still have that today, but I'm a little more disciplined .
     Learning by mistake is definitely a main method of learning. As a novice writer I made a lot of mistakes. One of my first, and biggest, mistakes was prose. I think other writers can identify with this. My prose was rich, thick, stuffed fat with pretty words that sounded appetizing, to me anyways. The term is flowery prose, or purple prose. Some call it dirty prose. Learning about prose and how to keep it clean, how to choose the right words, wasn't the easiest transition. I wanted to write how I wanted. And I could, but if I want to sell my writing and have readers, I needed to scoop out the slush. I'm still learning about prose, how to tweak it to best fit my story, my characters, and my readers.
     I'm embarrassed to admit this one, but just a couple of years ago I learned what passive voice was. I posted the first chapter of my second novel on a critique site and my very FIRST line was written in passive voice. People were asking, "Why did you start out with passive voice?" Uhm....I don't know, because I didn't know it was. Well I learned. I learned it was a big no-no, unless used sparingly for certain emotional impact.
     Another way to keep learning is to read craft books. I like to read them once in awhile. Most of them say the same things, but in different ways. I recently read Nathan Bransford, How to Write a Novel. It was good, straight to the point. Plus it's nice to hear it from someone who not only writes but once worked as an Agent. Agents are the gatekeepers! One of my favorite craft books is called 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for Creating Original Character, by Victoria Schmidt. I love the way she uses ancient gods and goddesses to create character arcs. If you like craft books, especially ones pertaining to character development, it's definitely worth the buy!
      As writers we never stop learning. We never stop attempting to perfect our craft. It's a humble experience, especially when you think you know your stuff and another writer blows you out of the water. I've there, done that (not as the knowing writer). I know as I keep writing I will keep learning. I will keep making mistakes. One of my favorite ways to learn is from other writers, from their experiences. It's the main reason I started this blog, to share my experiences. I'd love to hear back from other writers on their learning experiences, whether you are just starting out, or been in the game since you can remember.