Astute Advice from Authors

by Raelene Gorlinsky

At last year’s RomantiCon, we had a session on “So You Want to Be An Author”. EC editors offered lots of good advice for aspiring authors. But of course, the best advice comes from those who’ve been through this. Our EC authors offered up their words of wisdom.

• Don’t do it alone. Get good critique partners
• Rejection isn’t personal. Don’t let it kill your dream.
• Finish what you start. Finish that story!
• Never give up, there are very few overnight successes.
• Have an achievable goal for your writing. How much time can you commit regularly, how much can you really do? Don’t set your expectations of yourself so high that you feel you’ve failed.
• Step away from the book when it’s done. Then come back and edit, edit, edit!
• When you think the manuscript is ready to send to an agent or editor, wait a week or two, then review it again.
• Hook the reader and editor with the first page.
• Take classes, attend conferences and workshops. Enter contests. Connect with other authors.
• Know your craft: read “how to” books, join writer groups, read industry publications. Never stop learning
• Honor your craft: balance the need to meet a deadline versus taking sufficient time to write your best.
• Research! Everything!
• Your editor is a business relationship, not your best friend. It’s not personal.