Excellence in Writing

By DiAnn Mills

When we place our name on our writing, we are ensuring the reader discovers excellence. The effort to create an outstanding manuscript requires time and skill with a commitment to learning the newest trends in the industry. Consistent learning, edits, and rewrites are part of the process.

Whew!

Every writer has experienced the defeat of rejection and the dive into the waters of discouragement. We raise our fists and wade through the tears to work harder and not allow defeat to drown our publishing dreams.

How do we move forward in promoting excellence in our writing? The following are my practices. They’ve proven to work, and I want to pass them on to you.

Schedule time with God every morning before turning on the computer.

•         Before writing a word, spend time in the Word. Simple advice, but the best way to tap into our Creator’s heart.

•         God may have something different for us to write or do, and His ways are always perfect.

•         Pray our words bless His name.

Schedule time daily to study the craft.

•         Explore the blog posts written by professionals who practice quality writing.

•         Read the how-to books, highlight and underline the information that speaks to you.

•         Put the instruction into practice.

•         Don’t be afraid to fail.

•         Don’t be afraid to change.

•         Never knowingly send a faulty manuscript to a critique partner or editor.

Schedule time daily to study social media.

•         Explore the blogs written by social media experts targeted to writers who understand the value of effective and efficient posts.

•         Read the how-to books and highlight/underline the information that pertains to your brand.

•         Learn how to meet readers’ needs.

•         Put instruction into practice.

•         Don’t be afraid to fail.

•         Don’t be afraid to change.

Schedule at least one writing conference per year to deepen knowledge of the craft, network, and find encouragement.

•         Explore all the conferences available and choose the one that fits your genre, brand, and level of expertise.

•         Ask your editor or publishing house for a conference preference

Schedule time to give back to the writing community.

•         If we aren’t diligent in helping others, how can we expect to grow or pass the baton of excellence when our season of writing is over?

•         Practice saying no to those projects that we feel aren’t from God.

•         Consider mentoring a serious writer who is willing to work hard.

We all want three P’s after our name: Published, Professional, and Polished. How will you strive for your writer excellence?

Write on!

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DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure? Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Conference, and the Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, or any of the social media platforms listed at diannmills.com