Best advice I’ve received as a writer

Commercial.

Likable characters.

Ground-breaking.

High concept.

There are a lot of terms a writer will read about in publishing when if they start down that path to see their manuscript become a bound novel.

Love.

If one writes for the market – to be commercial, or try to hit a trend, there’s likely to be a fair amount roadblocks and letdowns, I’ve found.

If one writes not for the market, but for oneself, ones love of the craft and love of the literary world, they won’t fail.

For me, writing and publishing have had to be two different worlds.“You’ll always love writing, but you’ll grow to hate publishing.” At times, this has been true. Publishing isn’t out to eat your heart, but it is a competitive business. To be an author, you have to be pretty okay with hearing the word “no.” Rejections are the norm.

It only takes one “yes,” however. If you keep knocking on doors, however, eventually you’ll hear an enthusiastic “yes.” 

Whether it’s for a novel, a blog post, a poem, a short story, it only takes one yes in that sea of no’s to keep you going and heading towards your goal – whatever that may be.

I don’t personally continue to write as I think I’ll hit the best-seller list one day. I don’t write trends, or commercial or what I think will sell to the next big agent or publishing house. I write what’s in my mind, and in my heart, and what I’m passionate and motivated for.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d certainly love to hit that best-seller list.

But at the end of every single day, I write for myself. I write because I love to write. I write because it makes me feel whole. Like I have a voice and a place in the world. There are many, many places for a writer to find their community. It may be online, or in the local newspaper, on a private blog or a public one. In a magazine or literary magazine.

Never give up.

And always keep writing.

For you.

That’s the best advice I’ve ever been given in this world.

“Keep writing for you.”

Happy reading!