A Writing Career

I was thinking today about how long it took me to find the right project and get published. I was not an author who sold her first book! My career was a slow learning process. I didn't even know about one inch margins when I started. Sad, I know! I read and took workshops and read some more. I joined RWA back in 1999, my local chapter two years later, and learned, learned, learned all I could about writing and the publishing business. From the first few pages of my first book, I knew I had to finish the manuscript once I started. I wanted to know how the story turned out!

I started writing with the goal of being NY published and not once wavered from that path. And there were times when I was certain that selling would never happen for me, but then I'd get a 'nice' rejection letter telling me I was so close and I'd be off and running again. If an editor took the time to write a personal letter and tell me how much she enjoyed my writing style, plot, whatever, I knew I was heading in the right direction. No more more form rejection letters for me. I kept growing as an author until I finally sold. It wasn't easy.

Tip: The one tip most authors hear most often is to never give up. That's fine, but eventually all authors (musicians, artists, actors, etc.) need to take a good hard look at themselves, and their work, and decide if their career is advancing in the right direction. If not, then they make adjustments. This could be as simple as taking more craft classes, stepping out of the box with their writing, or changing course altogether. Because if you want to be published bad enough, work for it. There are no short cuts! :-)