As an author, there are rules of conduct, some are by personal preference, some are obvious, and the others should always be followed. Keep this mind as you write so you always remain ready for that letter that says "Manuscript Accepted"
- You are a professional. Talk, write, act as a professional. This includes dressing. When you're behind closed doors, alone, and busy at writing, keep your mind at a professional level too. Get into practice now so when you begin to deal with publishers, the way you act isn't the reason for your book to be turned down. They should focus on your writing, not you.
- Writers are experts in one field or another. Remember this as you study the subject you're writing about. If you're not an expert about something, find something you're passionate about and learn it.
- Trust yourself and your writing. If something doesn't feel right, then 9 out of 10 times, it needs work. Learn to understand these feelings about your writing.
- Writers are hard workers. There are many things a writer does that doesn't get paid for. Yeah, you do get something, but its only from when your book sells. Everything is paid in the knowing of the job well done--pride. Get into practice now. Study marketing books now before your book becomes published. If you happen to have money, hiring a PR (public relations) may help. Don't depend on others to do your work. No matter who you publish with, there will be some work on your end to get your book noticed. Publishers only invest in books they know will sell. If you're new, they don't know if your book will sell so advertising on their end is almost nil.
- Writers persevere. No matter how many times a book is rejected, a writer must keep moving forward and not give up. Before sending out manuscripts, you need to know who's publishing what. Do your research and find compatible publishers for the genre you're writing. And if there's another story that's similar to yours that was recently published, they will turn yours down every time--remember that. And just because one publisher does turn it down, it doesn't mean you have to stop sending them your work. It may be because your book needs more work. Learn and keep going. Same goes for radio stations, newspapers, book stores, magazines; for marketing.
- You are your own boss. Writers don't have someone to tell them when to write, when to edit, when to research, when to read, when to market, etc. Writing is a business, plain and simple. As a writer, you need to push yourself to succeed. There's no one out there who can do that job for you. When you're feeling sick, you still need to write. When everyone else is having fun, you need to be writing. If you slacked off in another job, do you think you'd still have that job? Think that way, as a writer and keep writing.
I really don't want to scare you. I just want you to know the facts. The pay may not be the greatest but the rewards are. Meeting your fans is priceless. Signing the book you wrote, is priceless. Hearing someone tell another person how great your book is, is priceless. Getting your book made into a movie, well nothing beats that lol. It is worth the pain in getting your book written. And when you see your book on a shelf in the store, you begin to see so much more than you had before. The day will come for you! Just keep writing and never give up!
Amber Rigby Grosjean
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