Getting down to (writing) business


The end of the year approaches and that means that the New Year will bring forward the usual resolutions. This year I will...write more. Write better. Study the markets. Well, you know how it goes.

Finding more time for writing and all the other things that we as writers want to do are part of a whole piece. If we want to change some aspect of our lives, it usually means that we have to change other aspects as well. If you don't have time to write, chances are that there are other things you don't have time for either.

If you want to get a jump start on your writing resolutions for this year, here are some sites that will help.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Improving Your Time Management Skills by Amy Sprecher Bly and Robert W. Bly.

How to get the most out of your time

The Top Ten Time Wasters

Terminate Telephone Tag

ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE

For Busy People Only

RELEASE YOUR CREATIVITY

Artist's Way On-Line Cluster

What is Creativity? This site is for kids but the same techniques work for adults.

BRUSH UP ON THE ESSENTIALS

Common Grammar Problems

The Seven Deadly Sins

Four rules for good writing

HELPFUL HINTS

The best advice I ever had regarding trying to sell a book was to go to a bookstore and look for where your book would be in that store. This may take a little time and go to the biggest bookstore you can find. Look and look until you can see a place where, yes, your book would fit. Then pick up all the books in that area and see who published them. Write down the publisher information, look to see if an agent is thanked or an editor mentioned in the preface or anywhere.

This really increases your chances of finding the right publisher or agent because you know they already are interested in books like yours.

In my novel writing course, I recommended this approach in lesson ten.

Another piece of valuable advice for writers is: "Writing takes WORK. Study your markets. Get your manuscripts in the mail and keep them there. That's how you sell what you write. Getting a book published is like a marathon, not a short sprint. Learn by doing. Listen to your own voice, not that of others. And never forget to READ, READ, READ. And WRITE, WRITE, WRITE."

This is from Carol Henson's excellent article "So You Want To Write A Book: Facing The Challenge".

Happy Holidays! Writing is hard work but the rewards are well worth the effort.

The copyright of the article Getting down to (writing) business in Book Publishing is owned by Joanne Reid. Permission to republish Getting down to (writing) business in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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