10 Things I Wish Every Aspiring Writer Would Know
I’ve been writing books for a
while, and met some great people along the way who have helped me
shape my journey into the publishing world. I’m all about paying it
forward, and giving back to those who have helped me reach this point
in my career.
So here is a list of things I
wish every aspiring writer would know. But as Levar Burton from
Reading Rainbow says, “you don’t have to take my word for it.”
1. Do more reading than
writing.
No, seriously. This is especially
true if you’re just starting out. Read lots of books in the genre
that you want to write about. Learn about what works and what
doesn’t. Dissect these stories until your eyes bleed and your brain
explodes. What about the story held your interest? What’s a common
pattern you’re seeing with the books you like?
2. You’re not going to get
rich quick.
Those success stories you read
online about authors quitting their day jobs because they earned
millions from their writing account for only less than 1% of all the
authors out there. Writing is a competitive game. Don’t chase the
money. Write because you enjoy telling a story and the money will
come. Most of all, your fans will appreciate you so much more.
3. Stay focused
With so many distractions in the
world, it’s hard to stay focused on your work. But there is no
greater feeling than that of accomplishment when you write ‘The
End’ on the last page. Challenge yourself to stay motivated to
finish what you start. Keep writing. A focused writer is a successful
writer.
4. You’ll turn into a
schedule freak
You will be surrounded by
calendars, reminders, alerts, and other notifications for deadlines,
book signings, critique group meetings, conferences, and other events
related to writing, publishing, and marketing your book. It can be
overwhelming at times.
5. You’ll need to do a lot
of things yourself
Whether you’re self-published
or published traditionally, you will need to know something about
advertising yourself and your book. Unless you’re as prolific as
J.K. Rowling you’re going to need to do most of this yourself. No
one is going to do it for you. There’s a misconception that
traditional publishers will do all the work for you and you can just
sit back and reap the rewards. Think again!You’ll have to stand out
among millions of other authors vying for the same attention as you.
In addition to marketing your finished books, you have to continue
writing your next one. That means organizing your time wisely (see
#4). It’s an exhausting venture. Are you up for it?
6. Have a good support group
You’ll be overwhelmed and
stressed out at times, but having a support group will help alleviate
some of this. A support group can be anyone: your family, your
friends, other writers. Not all of us are self-motivators. But having
someone there to give us a good kick in the pants when things get
rough is something every author needs in their corner.
7. Research the industry
The publishing industry is always
changing. Successful authors make it a point to stay abreast on the
latest happenings. For example, which publishers are engaging in
shady practices? This is very important, and I’ve seen so many
aspiring authors fallen prey to ‘vanity’ publishers and others
who have engaged in unethical behavior at the authors’ expenses.
It’s very easy to fall victim to these glamorous advertisements
that promise your book on bookstore shelves. But the reality of it
is, shelf space is limited, and if you’re not a prolific author
like J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, or Suzanne Collins, chances are,
your book will not appear on those shelves.
8. Have patience
Writing the perfect story takes
time, so don’t rush perfection. If you are an aspiring author, take
the time to make your debut work the very best it can be. That means
lots of editing, lots of rewriting, lots of everything. You want to
make a good first impression, so don’t just rush a book to market.
Reviewers will pick you apart.
9. Learn to network
Networking is one of the most
important things authors need to engage in. The term “It’s about
who you know” rings so true in this industry. Authors love to
support and promote each other, and you’ll never know who may be
looking at your book. Getting on good terms with people in the
publishing industry can open up so many doors that you weren’t able
to open by yourself.
10. You’ll need to have
thick skin
I saved the best for last. I
think this is the single most important thing every aspiring author
needs to know. Not everyone is going to like what you write. You’ll
get hecklers and snarky one-star reviews. You can’t take these
reviews personally. All you can do is hold your head up high and keep
writing. Check Amazon or Goodreads sometime and see how many people
hated the Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Divergent books. But those
reviews hasn’t stopped the authors from writing more books, and it
shouldn’t stop you, either.
Scratched by Marie Long
(The Anderson Brothers, #2)Publication date: August 4th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Twenty-four year old Kevin Anderson lost the opportunity to end his senior year at the University of Washington as the Huskies’ all-star point guard, and sought out one last opportunity to put his extraordinary basketball skills to use: by training for a chance at the pros.
But when he’s not on the court, Kevin has only two things in his life that gives him happiness: spinning records at the local clubs, and Trinity Brown.
Trinity attends almost every one of Kevin’s deejay gigs, but Kevin is uncertain if her love for him is genuine or a fangirl’s simple admiration. Kevin takes that chance and hopes that she will see beyond the celebrity persona. But when fall classes start up again, their busy schedules press their relationship.
Kevin doesn’t want to give up on her–on them. He hopes the happiness they had will rebound once more.
But when he learns the truth about Trinity, Kevin must decide if it is worth everything–and everyone–he cares about to save her, or forfeit this exhausting game of love.
Marie Long is a novelist who enjoys the snowy weather, the mountains, and a cup of hot white chocolate. She’s an avid supporter of literacy movements like We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
Marie has shared a fondness and interest in the New Adult genre since its popularity boom in 2009. And now, as both a reader, and debut RWA author of New Adult fiction, Marie dreams to keep this fascinating genre going strong.
Marie has shared a fondness and interest in the New Adult genre since its popularity boom in 2009. And now, as both a reader, and debut RWA author of New Adult fiction, Marie dreams to keep this fascinating genre going strong.
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