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Summary: Take baby seteps to writing success. One step after another, and you're a success, right now.
Category: Writing
Words: 450
Baby Steps To Writing Success
Copyright © 2003 by Angela Booth
After a lifetime's worth of writing, I can file these baby steps
under the "wish I'd known when I started" category. They're
vital. If you follow them, not only will you be successful at
writing at some time in the future, you'll be successful right
now.
=> One: Write every day Writers write. That's all. And they write
every day, just like plumbers fix taps and electricians wire
houses. Writers write.
It's a process. You can outline and plan your writing all you
want, but at some stage, every day, you must sit down and write.
=> Two: Pay attention to what you love
You'll write best about what you love. So take note of the things
you love. Make a list. Don't ever think that no one else is
interested in what turns you on. Enthusiasm is contagious.
=> Three: It's the journey…
Beware of fantasies like: "When this is published", "when I get
an agent", "when I hold my first book in my hand".
When your fantasies come true, and after the warm glow wears off,
you won’t feel all that different (in fact, you won't feel any
different) to the way you feel right now. (I hope I'm not
trampling your favourite fantasy into dust.)
Take comfort from this: the joy is in the journey, in the
writing. When your fantasy comes true, the glow will last for a
short time. What lasts longer, is your memory of the pleasure the
writing brought you, while you were writing.
So since the joy of writing is your takeaway, take that joy right
now. It's yours already.
=> Four: Be courageous: submit your work
The final baby step is submitting your work. Consider yourself a
success as soon as you've submitted your work. You don’t have any
control over whether someone buys it, but you do have control
over the submission process.
There's only one guarantee: if you keep writing and keep
submitting, sooner or later you will sell your work.
What happens then? You repeat Steps One, Two, Three, and Four.
See? It's just baby steps. Start stepping!
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Veteran multi-published author and copywriter Angela Booth crafts
words for your business --- words to sell, educate or persuade.
E-books and e-courses on Web site. FREE ezines for writers and
small biz: http://www.digital-e.biz/
Writer, author and journalist Angela Booth has been writing successfully for print and online venues for 25 years. She also writes for business.
