With today’s technology, it’s become easier for wannabe writers to see their work published. Indeed, thousands of books are out there clamoring for readers’ attention. The ease with which publication has become, though, presents its own issues for self-published authors.
We must understand that professional writing requires more of us than just sitting down at our laptops, whipping out a manuscript, and then self-publishing it. It goes well beyond that first draft, second draft, even third draft. It takes long hours of hard work and revision till we see polished prose.
Just as we can’t repair a car if we don’t understand how its engine works, so we can’t engage in effective revision if we don’t understand what makes good writing work. Effective writing entails numerous elements, too many to discuss in one blog. Each element requires constant practice. For serious authors, writing is a daily discipline. Professional writers don’t wait for the inspiration bug to hit them. Professional writers…write!
Do we want our self-published books to stand out among all the other indie books on the market? Do we want to be taken seriously as authors? Do we want to sell our books? If so, we must approach our craft the same way all serious writers approach it— through disciplined study, practice, and writing every day.
In future posts I’ll discuss different writing techniques and other literary issues that will help us all write more professionally. For most folks, writing at this level doesn’t happen overnight. It didn’t with me. Only after working at my craft for six years did I begin selling my manuscripts on a consistent basis.
Let me encourage you, then—work hard, study the craft, and write every day.
Till next time, I’ll see y’all at the Cove.
The Author's Cove: John "Jack" Cunningham on Writing & History 
“Write every day.” That’s something I need to work on. I struggle to balance writing new prose while editing another piece. It’s like I can only handle one story at a time. (Probably because I tend to obsess over my WIP. 😂)
LikeLike
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, KyLee. I’ve found that writing is sort of like a literary juggling act. What I usually do is set certain small, achievable goals for each project I’m working on. It may be a time goal, such as working on a certain article for 60 or 90 minutes, and then moving on to the next project for 60 to 90 minutes or sometimes longer. If it’s fiction, I may focus on one scene for a certain length of time before moving on to the next scene. Every author has his or her method. These are just two of my methods.
LikeLike