What Writers Regret

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine


By the time the mag celebrates its 3rd anniversary in July, we will have had the pleasure of featuring over 600 authors in Southern Writers Magazine.  All have published at least one book, some have as many as 50 or more (I think those authors deserve to have a statue made of them).  If you add up all the books by all these authors—and of course, 600 is just the tip of the literary iceberg—we're talking thousands of books by these excellent wordsmiths.

One question we often ask during interviews is, If you could change anything in your writing career, what would it be? And this is the answer we've received hundreds of times:

I wish I'd started writing sooner.

This regret is echoed by writers of all ages, not just the ones who followed their inner Dickens after retirement.  The thrill of having publishing dreams come true at 25 is no less exciting than at 75.  And the bottom line is, no matter when they do it, they regret not having started sooner.

What does this oft-repeated sentiment tell us?  That authors who have experienced the joys and the struggles of committing to their craft have discovered it to be a rewarding enough undertaking that they only wish they could have had more of it in their lives.

How much greater regret will be felt by the many would-be writers who always knew they had a book in them, but never made the time to write the first chapter?

When you're writing, you're 100% more productive than every other writer who isn't writing.  I don't know who said that first, but I'll give credit to Annie K., from whom I heard it first.  (I encourage you to visit Annie K.'s awesomely motivating blog post on the 50 Reasons You Should Be Writing Right Now.)

For any of us who feel the urge to write, it's an essential part of our nature and something that will never be satisfied until it's fulfilled.  Whether we put our everything into it now, or put it off for some distant future, the day will come when we say, "I wish I'd started writing sooner."

One thing's for certain. You will never say, "I wish I hadn't become a writer."

Ten Things A New Author Should Do

by Aileen Stewart

 

1. Write Stellar Material.
Today everyone has a story to tell, but only those stories of the highest quality will sell well. This means you must pay attention to spelling, typos, grammar, punctuation, and details.

2. Get A Critique.
Having family and friends proofing is fine, but having a professional critiquing your work can make all the difference. A professional will tell you where your story is weak and what you need to do to polish it. I guarantee a publisher will be more attracted to a polished manuscript!

3. Be Determined and Persistent.
An author has to have true grit because with roughly 800,000 new books per year released, the competition is stiff. You will hear “no” frequently which is not a negative; it simply means you haven't spoken to the correct person yet. This is your dream, don't let it die!

4. Market Before You Are Published.
It is never too early to let people know what you are working on. Movies are always advertised well in advance, whetting the appetite of potential viewers. So why not books?

5. Have a Website.
People are curious; use this to your advantage by having a website. Make it entertaining but not solely about your book. Offer potential fans value. For example, if you write Westerns have links for dude ranches. If you write Romance, have a section with "Romantic Poetry". On my website Fun With Aileen I include recipes, crafts, and poems.

6. Have Business Cards.
Business cards are a great and inexpensive way to promote the business of writing. Hand them out everywhere: restaurants, hair salons, grocery stores, libraries, and gas stations. I've even included them in my bill envelopes.

7. Form Relationships With Others.
Recently I read that being published was a community effort. No one person has all the ideas, contacts, reach, or tools needed to become a success; so join forces. Offer reviews and interviews and your efforts will be reciprocated.

8. Be Proactive.
Don't wait for opportunities because this is not "A Field of Dreams". If you write it, they will not come. People can't buy what they don't know about. Look for contests, book lists, book fairs, craft fairs, radio shows, and opportunities of every kind.

9. Don't Be Afraid Of New Things.
If you haven’t blogged, don't worry. Everyone is a novice at some point. If you are nervous about public speaking, start with a pre-recorded radio interview. If you have recording capabilities, record yourself reading from your book. If you don't have a book trailer, make one. There are several easy to use sites that walk you through the process. I am fond of One True Media.

10. Have Fun. 
Of all the possibilities a new author can and should be pursuing, this is the most important. If you aren't having fun, what is the purpose of being an author? Neither writing nor getting published is easy and marketing is even more difficult; but it doesn't have to be dreary. With effort you can feel confident and can become an authority in your genre.

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Aileen Stewart is a wife, a SAHM, and the author of Fern Valley-A Collection of Short Stories. She holds a degree in Business Management and Sales/Marketing which she finds new uses for daily. She loves cooking and somehow can’t seem to keep mentions of food out of her work. She also loves amateur photography, crafting, bird watching, flower gardening, and jig-saw puzzles.

Connect with Aileen online: 

Website ~ Fun With Aileen

Blog ~ Aileen's Thoughts

Fan Page ~ Fern Valley