So you want to be a Writer

I attend a lot of sci-fi/fantasy conventions as an attending profession and the big question/statement I get in some sort of variation by all ages… I am a writer, I write, I am working on a book… which means they are normally looking for some advice.

Davey’s Pieces of advice for Writing and Being an Author

1. There are easier ways of making money. So if you are in it for the money, do something else. You write because you love to write. You write because you couldn’t imagine doing anything else. You have to remember only about 5% of authors are able to do it full time and make a living at it. I am a librarian to help supplement my income.

2. Finish what you are writing. Quit editing as you write. Just finish, because once you have a finished piece be it a short story or a novel you have a finished work, which is now ready to be edited. A lot of people tend to procrastinate in their writing by editing before they are done.

3. Not everything you write is going to be golden and that is okay. Be prepared to write garbage.

4. Have someone besides friends and family read your writing, because 9 times out of 10 they will love whatever you write regardless if it is good or bad. You need real critiquing of your works.

5. You have to have a thick skin from receiving honest critiquing to rejection letters from publishers; watching someone reject or rip apart something you write can be tough.

6. Be willing to rewrite or take out your favorite scenes in your story, because sadly a lot of times that is the scene that needs to go to make your work flow better.

7. Stop editing. You can only edit so much. At some point you have to say enough is enough and just do what comes next…

8. Submit, submit, submit… you can’t be a published author if you don’t submit your finished story.

9. When submitting your story follow the submission guidelines to a tee. There is a reason the publisher, magazine, anthology, editor has them. This is the first step in their weeding process. If you can’t follow their directions or read them; why should they read your story and give it consideration? Trust me they are not going to read it if you don’t follow the guidelines.

10. If an editor sends you suggestions or corrections for your story; do them and send them back. Most editors will not send you corrections if they aren’t interested in your story. So DO THEM and then send the story back to the editor.

11. Don’t give up. A lot of writers receive a lot of rejections before they receive that first yes we will publish you letter.

12. Once you have sent off a story, don’t stop writing. Start on the next story, book, novella, etc. Keep writing! The more you have finished the more you can send out to various publication outlets.