Tag Archive - writing success

5 “Success” Tips for Fiction Writers

Have you ever asked: “What on earth possessed me to want to be a novelist?” Are you starting to realize this journey of being an author is not a short sprint but a marathon—and often a grueling one at that?

When you hear of the numbers of novels submitted to agents and publishers each year (in the six figures), you sometimes think winning the lottery offers better odds than getting traditionally published. But then . . . you finally break through and get a contract, and months later are holding your brand-new brilliant release in your hand, feeling like you’ve finally arrived.

Not Even Fifteen Minutes of Fame . . .

Yet . . . if you’re like me, the flashbulb moment of that exhilaration lasts a very short time, only to turn into something akin to another stark, depressing realization—that the odds your book will become a huge hit or best seller is . . . well, about the same odds as winning the lottery, and you’re back to the same place (or almost the same place emotionally) as you were when you first starting sending out your first queries to agents. Continue Reading…

5 Common Mistakes Writers Make That Sabotage Their Success

Today’s guest post is by Bella Mahaya Carter.

I’m neither unique nor alone in having made mistakes as a writer that have potentially sabotaged my chance at success. I’ve witnessed these same mistakes among my clients and students.

They aren’t limited to writers, nor are they the first things that come to mind when considering mistakes, but I wish I’d had a clearer understanding of them as a young writer. It would have spared me years of heartache and confusion.

Let’s dig in to the 5 common mistakes writers make and what can be done to correct them and avoid self-sabotage:

  1. Not believing in yourself

In my twenties, my sister gave me a knickknack: a three-inch-square photo frame of a shooting star with the words “Believe in Yourself.” I don’t recall the circumstances that prompted her to offer this support—but I imagine it had to do with a fresh writing rejection, or maybe I was thinking of giving up on writing.

I’d revisit that idea every so often, but the thought of giving up writing was excruciating. I could give up success (whatever that meant), but not writing. Never. I needed it like I needed air.

In retrospect, I didn’t understand that the disappointments I’d experienced were par for the course. Continue Reading…

How to Overcome Discouragement as an Author

Today’s guest post is by Emma Eggleston.

Writing is your passion. You spend hours dreaming up the perfect characters and their marvelous adventures, months writing the first draft, and weeks rewriting, editing, and tweaking your work.

All your friends and family have read your manuscript, and they absolutely love it. You are at the point where you are satisfied with the story you have created. You research the top literary agents for your genre, craft a flawless query, cross your fingers, and bravely send out your submissions.

Then, you wait.

Slowly, the responses start trickling into your in-box. Your heart starts to race as you click that email notification and prepare yourself to read the message. Your eyes quickly scan the words, and your stomach drops when you realize it’s a no.

Time after time, you find yourself facing rejection. Your book is your baby; your characters are your best friends. You would be lying if you said the rejection didn’t hurt. Now, you are questioning whether or not your book is as good as you thought. Months of sacrifice and weekends spent agonizing over your manuscript only to receive disappointing responses leaves you feeling like throwing in the towel altogether. Continue Reading…

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