What I know for sure
(11/06)
In the ten years I’ve been learning
the craft of writing and this crazy business, what I know for sure is that the
odds of getting published are daunting and depressing. Best selling author, David Morrell, estimates
that there are as few as twenty-five hundred fiction writers making a living at
it in the
1) That
this is the entertainment industry; trendy as any
2) This business is governed by subjectivity. What is one editor’s reject is another’s bestseller.
3) You have to be open and receptive. Open to criticism and to learning and confident enough to filter the advice.
4) A strong healthy ego is essential; thin-skinned people need not apply. Rejection at all levels is part and parcel of the process and if you can’t learn to not take critiques and rejections personally, it’ll crush your ego.
5) This business is unpredictable, even by those professionals who have been in it for dozens of years. Even seasoned agents and editors can’t consistently pick the next best seller or genre trend—though they probably can guess it quicker than we authors.
6) Write what fascinates you because it’s that allure and enjoyment of your story that will help sustain you through the difficult times and bring a genuine passion and spark to your story.
7) While it’s true that there is a certain amount of luck in getting published, authors can make their own luck by dogmatically mastering the craft of storytelling and by learning the business. Being smart and aware increases your luck.
8) Good writing alone will not make an author successful. There are a myriad of events beyond your control that affect the entire process—both cosmic and earthly. You could have the misfortune to have your first book come out the month Nora Robert, Stephan King and John Grisham have new releases. Pretty stiff competition for anybody, let alone an unknown. There are plenty of well-told stories that don’t reach the right editors or agents, or it is simply not their time. For quite awhile after 9/11, nobody wanted to read about or see in movies, stories about terrorism. It simply hurt a grieving nation too much.
9) An author, now-a-days must master the art of publicity—or at least try to master it.
10) Writing contests are wonderful ways to earn credentials and catch the eye of an agent or editor, as well as bolster a flagging ego. We all need those pats on the backs and small victories along the way.
11) A good writing organization can go far to help educate and support you on your quest.
12) Conferences are wonderful learning and networking opportunities; don’t pass them up.
13) Networking is essential—you never know when a break may come because of someone you meet.
14) Finish the novel. You can’t fix what you haven’t written, and an agent or editor can’t sell a half of a book.
15) Writing is a solitary occupation, yet a well-crafted story often requires the input of a lot of people—not just writing pals or agents who help you refine and improve your story, but the multitude of people you meet –or consult with, while researching a book. The story may be mine, but so much of the knowledge that gave it authenticity came from experts.
16) Be a good eavesdropper to learn dialogue.
17) Good, solid characterization comes easier to those who are observant and aware of their surroundings. Watch people, be attentive and sensitive to observing and learning from the world around you.
18) Volunteering for things in your writing organizations helps you meet professionals in a position to help/advise you and it creates good karma—and I can never get enough of that!
19) It ain’t easy, but it’d better be fun, or else why do it?
20) Persistence is absolutely key. Hard work and patience are essential.