The Top Ten Things I
Learned as a Newly Published Author
by Teresa McCarthy
When
I was asked to write an article, I had no idea what I was going to write about,
especially when Kelle reminded me that she needed my article by the end of
August. End of August? Gulp.
I smiled and said, “Okay, how
long?” She smiled and said something
like 1500 words. Yeow!
I started thinking about all the
reasons I wouldn’t get it done. Okay...I
could do this. I could put myself in
manuscript mode. Six pages at 250 words
apiece would do it. Now, what the heck
would I write? What if I did the top ten
things like David Letterman on his show?
Let’s see, 1500 words divided by 10 would be 150 words a topic. I could do that, uh, couldn’t I?
My mind was racing. I had forgotten that I had my second book
coming out in August with at least three book signings. I also had three kids going to college and if
anybody’s gone through that, I think the entire process could be a novel in
itself!
Not to mention that I was on
deadline with another book and realized I should have started this article a
long time ago, when first asked. But I
kept putting it off, thinking I’d do it later.
Hmmm. That’s why time management
is the first on my list of “The Top Ten Things I Learned as a Newly Published
Author.”
(Warning: The following tidbits
are not in any particular order due to, um, time management of said author.)
1. Manage Your Time! With my family I have to find a time to write that fits into our
schedule. Mornings work well, especially
when the kids are in school.
Set a long term writing goal. Decide what you want to write and when you
want to have it done. You have to decide
how long it will take you to finish the book.
Remember there are many things that may interfere: family, work,
illness, friends. Give yourself a little
buffer, just in case.
Set daily goals. Decide how many pages you are going to write
that day. Or set a certain amount of
time you will write. Schedule how this
will work into your long term goal so that you will finish your project. Give time for editing and re-editing!
2. Be Assertive. Sometimes saying no to volunteering at
school or church functions is hard for me.
But I pick and choose what I want to do these days. I just don’t have the time to do everything I
did before.
Remember, you can say no. This is your life. Know what you want to write. Keep your goals in mind. Don’t let people put you down because you
aren’t published. Feel confident in your
writing. Everything is subjective. Critiques are good, but they can also squelch
the spirit. Stay positive. Remember editors and agents are people too. But also remember that time is precious. List your priorities during the day, and be
willing to say no. Stay off the phone
and turn off the television until you meet your daily goal.
3. You Can’t Please Everyone. I quickly discovered that some reviewers love my work and some do not. It is the same with editors, agents and
readers. Just like grammar school and
high school, not everyone is going to like you or your work for one reason or
another. It’s the same way with
writing. This is a subjective business. Everyone has his or her opinion. If you pay attention to the negative
thinkers, you will be miserable. Pay
attention to your heart. Pay attention
to your readers. And write!
4. Exercise And Eat Right. I get great ideas when I’m
exercising.
Life can become quite hectic for
anyone, let alone a writer on a deadline.
Eating right helps your brain work better. Let’s face it: sometimes chocolate is a
writer’s best friend, but it can be a little dangerous at times. Exercise helps the body mentally and
physically. Just thirty minutes each day
can help.
5. Realize This Is A Business. I treat my writing as a business.
If you want to get published and
stay published, you have to look at writing as a business and not just a
hobby. Back up your work. Keep receipts for your taxes. Have a
workplace where you write. Do what works
for you, but make it a place where distractions are at a minimum.
6. Have Friends Outside The Writing
Business. Besides family commitments, I try to go out to
lunch or dinner with my friends a few times a month.
Life is a gift. Don’t forget your friends or your
family. Yes, deadlines sometimes mean
barricading the doors and eating oatmeal for dinner. But good friends are hard to find. Keep them a part of your life. They help you
balance life outside of writing.
7. Study The Market. I believe I made my first sale by networking, going to conferences, joining
writing groups and listening to what editors wanted.
The publishing world is
subjective. Look at the books on the
shelves at the bookstore. Find out what
editor publishes what you write. Listen
to what agents have to say. And read,
read, read!
8. Insulate Yourself. At the national conference last year, one best-selling author gave me some
good advice, “Try to write the best book you can and don’t compare yourself to
others.”
Learn from other writers, but
don’t compare your writing style or your books as better or worse. You are unique. Everyone has their own
experiences and their own story to tell.
Do what works for you. If you
listen to everyone that has an opinion, you will go crazy. Filter out the negative thinkers and listen
to the positive ones. Writing is not
easy, but surrounding yourself with positive people sure helps.
9. Don’t Lose Sight Of What Is Important In
Life. My family comes first.
Writing is great and having a
reader say he or she loved your book is wonderful. But everything can be gone tomorrow. If writing is your livelihood, pick and
choose your projects carefully. Don’t
put off the things you need to do with the people you love. Use your time wisely and remember what is
really important in life.
10. Don’t Give Up!!!! I had many rejections before I sold.
Did you know that Thomas Edison
tried 10,000 times before he discovered the light bulb? A rejection isn’t a failure—because you tried!
Keep trying! Keep writing! Writing is a process and even rejections can
tell you something about your manuscript.
Things begin to happen when preparation meets opportunity. Be persistent. Don’t give up!
These are some of the things I
learned along the way. However, as you
can see by the end of the article, 150 words per topic didn’t work out at all.
But that’s how writing is. It never
works out the way you planned. It’s a
journey of the imagination where fact becomes fiction and fiction becomes
fact. Sometimes it’s unpredictable, just
like
people.
Yet every person has something
special to offer. As one of my good
friends would say, “If not you, then who?”
If you have the passion, if you
have the drive, if you have the tools, you can write a book! So just do it! And happy writing!
Along with her fiction writing,