Top 3 Advice for Writers

1. Be Brave!

Most writers are introverts, so telling them to go to a writing conference or critique meeting where they don’t know anyone and talk to people, is akin to asking them to stick a hot poker in their eye. Do it anyway. Push through the anxiety and discomfort and force yourself to do it. I found some of my best writer friends because I made myself be brave.

2. Be Patient!

It can be discouraging once you start learning all the stuff you didn’t realize you didn’t know about writing. It’s easy to throw up your hands and say, “Welp, forget that. I suck.”

If you like writing, then write. If you want to be published someday, then write. The only people who never get published are the ones who give up. If you keep writing, keep growing your craft, stay active in a writing community, and give it time—you will get there. But be patient. It will likely take years. That’s how it goes. So, don't quit!

3. Be Tough!

Writers face a lot of rejection—not only when submitting manuscripts, but all along the way. When you first share your newbie pages with a critique group, expect lots of feedback. But remember, that’s what it’s for. It isn’t meant to make you feel bad or for your partners to feel superior.

Critique is the number one way you grow. If you have good writers giving you feedback, you’ll learn how to write better, how to read better, and how to see things more intuitively. You’ll gain skills naturally as you accept feedback and learn from it.

So, wipe your tears and be grateful. And then get to work. Don’t ignore their comments and think, They don’t understand my story. Try to really consider what they say, and work to change your writing to address the issues. You’ll probably like the revised version better than the original.