Do:
1. Read, read, read. Especially read in the generé in which you plan to write.
2. Make sure you have a comfortable place to write, a reliable computer if you plan to write online, you have Word software, a dictionary and a thesaurus.
3. Try to write as much as you are inspired to write every day.
4. On days when inspiration seems to be absent, do some research about writing. If you are stuck on explaining a particular action by a character, find out how it can be described on any number of writing helps on the internet.
5. Utilize your past experiences and those of others. Then exaggerate, if necessary, to make it even more interesting.
6. Be ready to take notes as inspiration strikes at odd times. Be organized with them.
7. The most challenging part of writing a book is the beginning. Think of a great opener, called “a hook” to grab your readers’ attention. Think about some of the books you’ve read. What grabbed you in the beginning? What made you want to keep reading?
8. Find a writing group who will take you through the complete process. Be sure the group has some experienced, published writers who can help with your writing and provide much helpful information as you progress through finding editors, graphics help and, finally, publisher selection. Be sure to get information and, if possible, examples of query letters. Those are essential for locating a publisher.
9. Writing the query letter is nearly as important as your manuscript. This letter is your introduction of yourself and your story idea to a publisher. In the letter; a) tell the publisher who you are as a writer, b) how you got the idea for your story, c) 2-3 sentences about your story, d) your contact information. The entire letter must not exceed one page. If you have received a positive response from a publisher to your query letter, proceed to the step below.
10. First, visit your selected publisher’s website. They will have a dropdown menu for submission instructions. Be sure to follow it with the utmost attention. Any deviation can result in your manuscript being rejected or ignored!
Don't:
1. Don’t be afraid – one step then the next.
2. Don’t get caught up in the grammar and syntax and lose the flow of your story and character development. Focus on your story idea, and don’t keep starting over.
3. Don’t try to write like someone else. Be yourself and write the way your mind works.
4 Don’t let writer’s block stump you. Change your scenery and return to it later. Go for a walk with a writer friend, talk about writing in general or the block you are experiencing.
5. Don’t let others interfere with your writing cadence. Establish a routine. If it’s too difficult to work in a quiet setting, use a radio or disc-player for soft music to help you focus.
6. Don’t worry about perfection on the first pass. Get your
ideas on paper Develop your
story and your characters then you
can go back and revise, edit, and tweak.
7. Don’t expect to get picked up by a legacy publisher. They are dinosaurs and likely won’t even read your manuscript. There is a new paradigm shift – hybrid publishing – publishers who want to work directly with authors; that is to your advantage.
8. Don’t send an incomplete manuscript to a publisher. You will get nowhere, and it indicates a lack of professionalism.
9. Don’t send your “final” manuscript to multiple publishers. Almost all publishers want an exclusive query. Publishers don’t want to spend editors’ time on a manuscript all the way to acceptance to have an author tell them the book has been accepted by another publisher.
10. For the love of everything you hold dear, don’t send your only manuscript copy in the mail! The preferred method is usually a digital emailed copy. Pay particular attention to what you were told by the publisher on how they want submissions.
