What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
Get ready for an exciting ride. Here is some of what I’ve learned along the way. Your mileage may vary:
It can be the best of lives! Sometimes, but way less often, it can be worst of lives. It’s easier if you approach the craft with perseverance, curiosity, and courage.
Read. “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.” – Stephen King.
Take a long-term perspective of your career. Work today to publish next month or next year, but don’t rush books to market. If you lose a reader with sloppy or poorly edited writing, you may never get them back.
It helps if you like solitude. A lot.
Sharpen your spelling and grammar. Everything you write will build on these core skills. “Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.” – Picasso
Take a course or two. Invest in your career.
Be ready to accept constructive feedback from people you trust. The hardest advice to hear may be what you need to hear most. A writer needs both the humility to listen to feedback and the confidence to know what to act on and when. It can be a tricky call but gets easier with experience.
Work hard. There are no shortcuts. “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King (again) Disclaimer: Although I’m not a major fan of his fiction, I love his book On Writing.
Be prepared to develop a range of skills that may not seem writing related at first: building a social media platform, doing Facebook takeovers, managing a newsletter, and all manners of promotion.
While there is a lot to learn, pace yourself. Concentrate on writing first. Take on the other challenges in small bites.
Forgive yourself when you get something wrong. This is a complicated business. Everyone makes mistakes all the time.
Help others along the way.
Celebrate every victory. Finished a draft manuscript? Celebrate! Beta readers gave you feedback? Celebrate! Submitted it to a publisher or agent? Celebrate! Got a rejection slip? Dry your tears and celebrate! Your work is that much closer to finding its home. It’s release day? Celebrate.
Thank you for this spot on your lovely website.
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