More and more people have been approaching me, both online and in person, to ask for advice on writing and submitting their work. I thought I’d share a few thoughts here on the subject. This could go on for page after page, but I’m going to keep it short, and perhaps add to it with another post down the road.

My first tip for anyone who wants to be a writer: write. It’s pretty simple, really. People can find just about any excuse to avoid the keyboard; dust the bookshelves, run errands, visit message boards, pay bills, write journal entries… :) But the simple fact of the matter is, if you don’t write, you can’t be a writer. So write as often as you can. Pick a schedule that works for you, and stick to it. Don’t let yourself get interrupted during that time. And don’t worry about the quality of what you’re writing, just get the words down on paper (or on screen). It’s the process that’s important.

Chances are, your first book won’t sell. Your second might not, either. Most published writers have at least one, and sometimes two or three novels hidden away in a drawer or closet before they make their first sale. And that’s ok. Because you learn how to write with those first attempts, and nobody can do it for you.

It’s painful to imagine all that work without a sale. So if it helps, imagine great things. If I can just finish this book, Oprah will be on the phone five minutes after I type “the end.” I’ll sign a multiple book deal in the high six figures. Screen rights will go to Spielberg. I’ll retire to the Riviera to write from a balcony over the water, sipping Coronas and flicking lime wedges through beer-bottle goalposts. It’ll be great.

If it gets you to the end, it’ll be worth it. But that brings me to my next point: be ready for rejection.

All writers get rejected. It’s just part of the business. The key to survival is to separate your personal life from your business one. This manuscript is a product you’re trying to sell. If you were a car salesman, would you lock yourself in the bathroom and sob uncontrollably when a customer walked away from the lot? I hope not. The problem is, our novels are a more intimate part of who we are, and a lot of writers can’t seem to distance themselves from their writing. But you have to, or you won’t last long. It’s a brutal business, and you have to keep a level head. Be professional, follow up on every lead, and keep submitting.

That’s it for now. Next up: how networking can help you land a contract. Talk to you soon!

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