Most writers start their journeys with the idea that they will eventually become published. That is an admirable goal and one that I support wholeheartedly. There will be a few who have no desire to head down that path, and I support that decision too. Writing is a journey that is different for everyone.
However, for those determined to one day be published, be it self-published or traditionally published, there is a particular mindset that you will need to develop. This is just a few things that you will need to do to the help you on your journey toward the road of success.
A Published Writer is a Writer.
The first thing you need to do is to think of yourself as a WRITER. It doesn’t matter is you are waiting for the first publication credit or not. If you want to be a published writer, then you must be a writer first.
There is one term that always annoys me whenever I see it: aspiring writer. I’ve written about this on my personal blog — on multiple occasions. If you write, then you are a writer. There is no aspiring about it.
You can be a writer aspiring to be published. Or you can be a writer aspiring to be read. BUT those who aspire to write, NEVER get published.
A Published Writer protects their writing time.
I will be first to admit that there are times when life just gets in the way — that sick child has a bad habit of totally derailing any plans you might have had. However, if you are wanting to be a published writer, you need to protect your writing time. If this means that you need to get up two hours before the kids do and sit at the computer in your pajamas, then so be it.
If necessary, tell your family that if they interrupt your writing time, someone better be bleeding to death, because if they’re not, they soon will be.
A Published Writer, in today’s market, has an active online presence.
As much as we hate to admit it, our world is now an internet-based world. Our readers will come from all around the world. As such, you need to have some sort of an active online presence to help market to your reader-base.
The moment you make the decision that you are serious about becoming a published writer, you need to start building that online platform; however, you don’t need to do everything at once. Build your platform in stages. Take baby steps!
If you don’t want a website right away, that’s okay. However, at least get out there on social media and start building a following. There are safe ways to do this on Facebook, if that’s your preferred platform. There is a large writer community on Twitter, and that’s where the agents hang out. There are so many choices on how to proceed. The book Hidden Traps will help you determine which of the platforms would be the best for you and your personality.
A Published Writer connects with other writers.
Writing can be incredibly isolating. Sorry, but the odds are your family will not be the support that you really need in this venture. Don’t get me wrong, your family loves you and want to see you succeed, but no matter how many times you try to explain it to them, they won’t understand the obsession that writing is.
Only other writers get it.
You need to connect with other writers, either in person or online, preferably both. These will be the people who will cheer you on when you make that little win of actually working out who the bad guy really is in your manuscript. These will be the people who will have ideas on what to do when you get those knock backs (like the rejection from your ideal agent). Only other writers will be able to help you see the positive in that extremely harsh critique.
Unless your family is filled with other writers, they won’t be able to totally support you, because they won’t know how.
A Published Writer has others read their work BEFORE it is published.
This is another reason why you need to connect with other writers. You can have family and friends read your story, but when it comes to giving constructive criticism, THEY LIE. They don’t want to hurt your feelings, so they will tell you that they loved everything about your story, even if they didn’t read it. Or if they did read it, they won’t be able to pick up the points where the narrative perspective was off, or the scene transitions were jarring, or when characters are two-dimensional.
Maybe they will see it, but they won’t be able to give you solid advice as to what the issue could really be. This is why you need other writers (or professional editors) to read your work BEFORE it heads out the door.
Getting others to read your work critically is a part of the journey to being a Published Writer. Even the big-named authors have others read their works before publication.
A Publisher Writer NEVER gives up.
This is the most important aspect to becoming a Published Writer. If you really want this, you won’t let anything get in your way.
There is a joking saying: you’re not a real writer until you’ve received your first rejection. It’s like a rite of passage. Until you know that pain of someone-didn’t-like-my-baby, you don’t know what you need to do to push on.
The publishing industry is filled with subjective opinions. You can receive thousands of NOs. You only need one YES.
These comments might be a gross generalization, but as a writer myself, I know how hard it is to break into this industry. You have likely only just started on your journey. Know that you are NOT alone.
P.S. I’d love to meet you on Twitter or Facebook.
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© Copyright, Judy L Mohr 2018