I’m about 2-1/2 years into the wonderful world of writing and I’m really just beginning my adventure down this rabbit hole. First, there was writing the novel, of course. But since that time, I’ve been introduced to the fearsome and sometimes frightening world of queries, synopsis writing, elevator pitches and most recently, Twitter pitches. Would you like to sum up your nearly 60,000-word novel of blood, sweat and tears into 140 characters? Sure thing! (Insert an extremely large dose of sarcasm here.)
I’ve also established a blog to share my every free-floating thought and to give updates on my writing journey to all my friends and family. Every day, I learn something new about the publishing business and sometimes, when I find out that new piece of info, I wish I hadn’t. Because as soon as I hear it, my mind inevitably rushes back to an earlier date when I actually committed whatever horrible offense I was just educated on. It’s at those moments I wish I had a time machine to go back and tell myself that valuable piece of advice before I stupidly walk smack dab into a big ole mistake.
For example, don’t send off a flurry of queries, even when you think you’ve read plenty about how to craft them, before getting them critiqued by a group of current writers. Fresh eyes are a writer’s best friend! This is something I wish I had told myself several months ago, but hey, you live and learn, right?
So, today my hope is that I will be able to help other up-and-coming writers who have yet to travel as far down the writer’s path as I have. Mind you, I’ve not gone very far myself, but even if you’re just starting, I think these will be of benefit to you. Please heed these warnings. They may just help you get that book you’ve slaved over for x-amount of time published.
HELPFUL HINT #1: As mentioned above, just because being a writer can be a bit of a lone wolf occupation, don’t keep yourself isolated. Reach out to others in the community. A group of writers can help give you perspective on your query, your manuscript, your synopsis, your character’s names and the list goes on and on. Awesome sites to help give you a sense of community and offers great help every step along the way are querytracker.net, agentqueryconnect.com, and absolutewrite.com. These are just a few of the great websites out there that can help you even when you may think you don’t need any (note to self).
HELPFUL HINT #2: Be receptive to feedback and critiques. Develop a thick skin early on because you’ll need it later for those inevitable agent rejections. Realize that obviously you have to have written a great book and it’s fresh and new and exciting and all that jazz, but this business is also very SUBJECTIVE. Do not get discouraged when you get that first stinging edit of a query or form rejection letter. I’ve now come to believe that there is a little bit of magic sprinkled in the mix when it comes to someone falling in love with your work (great writing/strong voice/unique characters aside). I tend to look at it this way. My book has a soulmate out there, in the form of the perfect agent, and all they have to do is meet and fall in love 
HELPFUL HINT #3: Know thyself! Stay true to who you are. Don’t try to go with whatever current trends you think are out there just for the sake of getting an agent’s attention. Another invaluable thing I’ve learned is that what you’re trying to get an agent with now, will not be published for another 2-3 years. Yes, that’s right. You have to be a bit of a psychic in this business as well. This is why I fall back on a tried but true saying and that is, “Write what you know.” Only you can channel the emotion of teenage angst you went through in high school, the heartbreak at college, the racial profiling, etc. If you use that wealth of information and emotional fountain deep within your soul, regardless of your intended audience or genre, your writing will be fresh and unique and it will get published even if it is 2050 before it hits shelves!
Now that I’ve had my say, I’m calling on all my incredible writer friends to please help me out in helping others out. Post in the comments section below your tips and painfully-learned examples about the writing process. I’d love to hear from those just starting out to the successfully-published! It’ll be good writing karma if you do!
Great Post! I also recommend that writer’s learn where the spell-check feature is (not to self)
Wonderful advice April! The number one thing I think I’ve learned is that you ABSOLUTELY need betas or crit partners for your work. I thought for the longest time that I could spot mistakes on my own, but eventually realized that, as with every writer, I’m too intimate with my work to see a lot of those things. Not to mention they are a great support system, like you said.
Go Team Monica!
Couple things i’d add:
1. Don’t be afraid to take a step back. From the MS, from the community, from anything that’s bringing you down. Sometimes you need to step away to regain perspective and your mojo.
2. Every writer, EVERY WRITER, occasionally gets the blues about themselves and their writing. Just remember that it will pass.
Such good suggestions! My advice would be to find your strengths and focus on those. Obviously we all need to work on our weaknesses, but when you work on making your strengths even better your writing goes from good to outstanding.
Patience, patience, patience. Coming from an MFA, there is such an overwhelming push to get published, get your foot in the door, get your words to the people that you get caught up and start making decisions based on the final goal rather than what YOU want and can do. The minute you start doing this to be published and make money (HA!) and become famous, you’ll lose your joy, and joy is why we write in the first place, right? It’s what keeps us sane and happy and allows us to function in public. So, yes, if there is one thing I wish I knew a few years ago, it would have been patience. Writing a book takes time, so why should the agenting/publishing process take any less?
(Thanks for the great post.)
This is a great post! Sorry it took me all day to get over here and check it out!
Some things I’d add:
When you get a request or enter in a contest, it’s only ONE opportunity, not THE opportunity. I think a lot of the times we think, “this is it, this is the only chance I’ll get!” But really, there will be more requests, more contests. You’ll win some and lose some. Everyone does.
Similarly, the first or second or third or fourth book will not be the only books you write. It’s all a process. So if you can’t hook an agent with one, don’t cling to it. Put it away and start something new. You will only get better with each project.
And I agree with Allie- you ABSOLUTELY need betas and Cps. And if you are paired up with someone who isn’t working, don’t be afraid to walk away from that either. Find people who help you, through the good times and the bad.
Also, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Make them in your MS, make them in the slush pile, make them in contests. You learn through your mistakes. You get better because you make them. Some are so embarrassing and cringeworthy later, but you NEED to make them. Consider them battle scars. (Says the girl who used to comp Sarah Dessen before she learned better…)
A few years back, when I was in college and out of the fan fiction scene, I tried my hand at getting something published, only to be told by one agent that the whole story needed to be changed. I refused… because it’s the story I wanted to tell. So I’ve come up with my own rules…
1. Only listen to the people who know you, that you let read your work. They know you better than some agent who is only out to make a quick buck. Your friend/editor knows your personality and your work better.
2. This past week, I’ve decided to stay screw queries and agents and publishing on my own with Amazon. I was inspired by EL James (“50 Shades of Grey”) who went from writing “Twilight” fan fiction to now being a best-selling author.
3. Always follow your heart and never second guess yourself.