Becoming A Successful Author: The Price!

So you want to be a successful author? You want to be up there with Brown, Archer, King, but what price are you prepared to pay? You might be lucky and your first book could be an overnight success but the chances are you'll be hacking it for years before success knocks.

If you decided to become a lawyer, an accountant, a bricklayer, or even to start an 'ordinary' business then you would be prepared to make sacrifices, to invest in the future. Why expect it to be different??

The amount of effort you put into your apprenticeship will dictate how successful you will be as a fully fledged tradesman, a successful author!

Are you prepared to spend a year putting a novel together to have it rejected by not one, not two, not three but four publishers? Are you prepared to take the novel sit down and do a major rewrite! If you are then you might, just might, be more successful second time around.

Harder still are your prepared to accept that the book just doesn't hack it and bin it!

There are very few real overnight successes: role up your sleeves and do some hard graft, learn the trade. Then you'll succeed.

Competitions are a good starting point. You are continuously challenged to meet deadlines. You should aim to enter at least one competition a month and you should aim to enter all the major competitions for new writers. For details on current competitions see my website http://www.abcwritersnetwork.co.uk/competitions.htm Remember that as far as major competitions are concerned you can 'win' without collecting the first prize, though that would be nice! Get a good mention and it will do your career the world of good. Publishers are often asked to judge competitions, think name recognition.

Competitions also help you understand what it is you are doing wrong, and what it is you are doing right. Contact the winner, congratulate them on their success, ask them for a copy of the winning entry and see how it differed from yours.

When entering a competition you are effectively asking someone's advice, you are asking them is my entry the best in the bunch. And they will say either yes or no! The price here is rejection.

If possible get your own personal critic. Your wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, sibling. Anyone as long as they are prepared to give you a good, fair, honest opinion and not just say for an easy life, 'that's a fantastic story.' If they're not prepared to give it to you, warts and all, then let them wait until they eventually see your name in print.

A good place to find honest critics is at your local writing group. Join one, join two - but join! Some people underestimate these groups; think that they are just a bundle of middle age women playing at writing. In many cases that is correct but there is always one or two serious authors there and it is those you want to meet. Together you can knock ideas of one another. Believe me you will learn and grow.

You wouldn't dream of becoming a lawyer or a doctor without buying the books necessary to study. Granted you'll not buy them all, you'll borrow some, perhaps most, from the university library but there are key books you'll need throughout your career and these you will buy and use again and again.

Why on earth are you not prepared to invest in your chosen career by buying your own trade books? I've given a list of the most popular ones over on my website. They're not all essential, like all reference books there is some cross over. But please: beg, borrow or steal (no skip that last one!) at least three of them. I've suggested the main ones. It's all part of the price.

You've decided on the genre you're going to specialize in. You have, haven't you!! Well then make it a point to read at least one, if not two, books in that genre each week.

We all like to go to our local library and borrow books, and I'm all for supporting my local library. Be honest though, they are totally under-funded and while my librarians are wonderful they can't come up with the goods.

I'm not suggesting buying a new book every week but I do suggest buying one every four to six weeks. You must keep up with what the market is producing. My site carries information on what is current - http://www.abcwritersnetwork.co.uk/reviews.htm.

For those of us who are forty plus tax there is the added danger of reading what we like: be careful, ask yourself the question would your favourite author hack it today?

Consider collecting the works of a particular (modern) author who you appreciate and admire and don't be afraid to use the yellow marker, after all they are text books, not collector's items.

What ever you do, don't try to be the same.. Why be a second rate Stephen King, or Jeffery Archer when you can be an original!

http://www.abcwritersnetwork.co.uk
ABC Writers Network: an indispensable resource for creative writers with competitions, suggestions, reviews and general market advice.

MORE RESOURCES:

RELATED ARTICLES

The Myths of Writing: Have You Bought Into These?
There is an image most people carry of the artist (think Van Gough's self-portrait, the one with his ear bandaged), working in solitude in a barren garret in a dark corner of the city. Everyday is a struggle.

The Top Five Writing Mistakes Professionals Make
Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think about entertaining your audience, and making your book or other writing easy to read.

The Three Cs of Writing an Excellent all Purpose Headline
Since the headline is the first contact your readers have with your message, it must reach out to them. Promise them a benefit.

Ten Tips to Help You Finish Writing Your Novel
1. Set aside a time to write and keep it sacred.

Eight Ways To Write Your Novel Faster
I asked several writers how long it took them to write a novel they wanted published. One woman writer made a frustrated face at me, a couple others just stared at me (their novel wasn't finished yet), and a few just stared.

Childrens Stories - The Essentials
There is no specific formula for children's fiction. There are, however, some necessities.

Creative Writing Tips - Does The Name You Chose Suit Your Character?
How do you choose a name? Do you put down the first name that pops into your mind? Initially that's what I used to do, until someone pointed out to me that there are a few things to take into consideration when choosing a name?1. You Have To Be Comfortable With ItWe associate names with people we know.

Top 10 Tips to Complete a Creative Writing Project Without Losing Your Creativity
Have you ever started a creative writing project with great excitement, only to have your interest dwindle as the process, itself, interfere with your creativity? How do you keep the momentum going and continue to enjoy the creative process? Follow these tips for high creativity, fun and success!1. Create a writing environment that inspires you.

Persisting With Bulldog Determination
Persisting With Bulldog Determination [Book excerpt from Successercising} by Rick Gettle © 2003-2004Ninety-five percent of all new businesses go out of business within the first five years or less.Why Do They Fail?There are many starters in life - but very few finish what they start.

Increase Your Chances Of Winning Writing Contests
Winning writing contests can provide several advantages to writers. For starters it's a great way to get your name in print and in front of potential readers.

Write Your Life
Take out a white piece of paper and place it on your kitchen table. You now have two choices.

Dont Forget That Manual!
No user manual? Surely you jest!It may seem comical, but it's a surprisingly common situation. I've encountered many companies that don't provide any user manuals with their products.

Building a Character Wall
For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters is the key to the success of your story. So how do you maintain the image of your characters―both their physical attributes and their personality? It's easy! Build a Character Wall?paper by paper.

How You Can Become a Certified and Profitable Proofreader
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few courses and learned the proper way to do proof reading work. It is essential that individuals who want to become proof readers, have qualifications that can help them to prepare work that is of high quality.

Money Trails for Writers
I'm willing to bet that quite a number of you once had to debate (or discuss) the saying: "The pen is mightier than the sword." If you were arguing 'for', you would have been able to come up with many examples of how words triumphed over muscles.

Tell the World About You
You have a new website, or a new business, or both - or your site isn't getting the kind of traffic you want and need. How are you going to tell the world about what you have to offer and where to find it?If you have deep pockets, you can start buying ads in newsletters and ezines and hope somebody reads them.

Writing HI-LO Material (High Interest, Low Ability) for Slow Readers
To write books for readers at an elementary reading level (for either adults or children) you start off exactly the same way as you do any other book: you work out a strong plot and people it with interesting characters.Your primary concerns: To write a story that will seize the interest of the reader immediately (reluctant or emergent readers aren't going to waste time on a story that doesn't look interesting)To try to stick to one idea per sentence.

Linguaphone Language Learning Solutions
Language Training - A key to Global CommunicationLanguage Training is integral to success in the International setting. It is increasingly recognized as a key element in assignment success.

7 Writing Muse Kickers to Fill Up That Blank Page
Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to stare at a blank sheet of paper.When we stare at a blank sheet of paper, we often think, "What am I going to write?" A few minutes later, it becomes, "Oh my goodness, I can't think of anything to write!" And several minutes later, it turns into something like, "Write, dangnabit! Write! Write! WRITE!"Some writers call this writer's block.

Which Comes First - Short Story Or Novel?
A writer writes. Bet you've heard that one before.