WoW! Advice for New Writers
TODAY guest blogger and author Michelle Graham is stopping by today to offer advice for new writers. Heaven knows I needed some simple tips when I was just starting out not so long ago.
I agreed to do this post a while ago, and as the date approached for me to actually get it written, it occurred to me that, as a new writer, how could I offer any real words of wisdom? I don’t know enough about the business yet, and don’t have a lot of experience to draw on. So I decided to offer some advice to others who are thinking about getting a book published, or who have already had that acceptance and are now wondering what to do. These are things that helped me along the way, and I hope you’ll find them useful.
1. Make time. I’ve always loved writing, but never seemed to have enough time. Other things came up and the writing kept getting pushed to the back burner. Maybe I just wasn’t writing in the right genre, because once I decided to write my erotic romance, it seemed to just happen. Suddenly I found time all over the place. Granted, I lost some sleep, and the dirty dishes piled up, but it wasn’t long before I had that first book finished. I carried a notebook with me so I could make use of any “wasted” time during the day (e.g. lunch, waiting at the doctor’s office). If writing is something you truly want to do, you have to make the time yourself.
2. Take a chance. Once you’ve got a manuscript done and polished, submit it. The worst they can do is say no. You may even be surprised by an acceptance. But you won’t know if you don’t take a chance. There’s always self-publishing, too, if you really want to get your work out there.
3. Promote, promote, promote. With my first acceptance under my belt, I wondered what to do next. I began exploring websites and blogs of other authors and was astounded by the amount of promotion they have to do. I was kind of shocked to discover that just sitting back and waiting for people to buy your book is not the best strategy. So even before your book is released, start a blog or website, sign up for a Twitter or Facebook account, or both, and start getting your name out there. If you can build a following before the book even comes out, you’ll probably have a few sales right off the bat.
4. Listen to the advice of others. I’ll admit to having a bit of a diva complex. I know I’m a good writer and I like my stories just the way they are thank you very much. But when my editors started pointing out areas that were weak or didn’t flow as well, I got taken down a couple pegs. While the suggestions initially rankled a bit, I came to the realization that the editors are there to make my work even better. They know what they’re doing and if I wanted to ensure I had the best work possible, I needed to listen. This is also an area where other authors were an invaluable resource. This blog features writing tips every Wednesday, as do many others. Look around and you’ll find help out there.
5. Keep writing! Don’t get complacent once you have that first acceptance. If you want to be successful, you have to keep providing your audience with more work. Within two months of my first book being accepted, I had the acceptance for my second, and I’ve submitted my third and begun the fourth.
Best of luck to you in all your written endeavours!
Michelle Graham writes erotic romance for Siren Publishing.
Her first book, Landing the Big Ones, was released yesterday! You can pick up a copy at www.bookstrand.com/landing-the-big-ones. Check out her blog for excerpts and more! You can follow her on Twitter (@MichelleGAuthor) or like her on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MichelleGrahamWriter).Landing the Big Ones
When single mom Serena Keegan finally gives in to her son's pleas for a pet, they decide that fish are the perfect option for their apartment lifestyle. They quickly discover that they have a lot to learn about their aquatic friends. Thankfully, Dalton's Aquariums and More! is there to help. The owners, identical twins Lance and Liam Dalton, both find themselves attracted to her. They are eager to provide her with the assistance she needs, for the pets and for more...personal matters. Serena’s past experience with men has been less than stellar and she worries she and her son will end up hurt. Despite these fears, she finds herself falling for the sexy store owners, whose talents extend well beyond business. But Liam has a past he hasn't told her about and when Serena finds out, it threatens their growing love.
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WoW is a Smart & Savvy Group of Authors who host this weekly feature each Wednesday.
While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about
writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way.
While we don't claim to be experts, the goal is to impart what we've learned about
writing, editing, getting published, book promotion, and more along the way.
Follow along and read all this week's contributors' posts.
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Great advice!
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