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Secret of being an author

What is the secret to learn by being a great author?

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Carey’s Answer

Hi, Peter!

The short answer is to never give up. Writing is an incredibly subjective field. And also extremely competitive. If you dream of being an author (I have too since I was eight years old!), just know you're in for a wild ride and buckle in. It's extremely rewarding but also extremely challenging.

Here are the steps for becoming a professional author:

1- Finish your book.
2- Reach out to critique partners and beta readers to read and give feedback, then edit based on that feedback.
2- Query agents to see if anyone would like to represent you and your stories. Without an agent, you can't be published traditionally, in most cases, unless you go through an indie publisher, which is also a great option. You can also self-publish, but know you are in charge of all the elements of publishing your book a publisher might do instead.
3- Your agent will reach out to publishers to see if anyone is interested in your book.
4- If a publishing company bites, then you'll go through an editing process and a few years later your book will be published.

This entire process can take years and years. I encourage you to research all of the steps above to learn more details.

But, like I said, don't give. If writing is your passion, work on it every day. Read widely, improve your craft, and keep at it until one day you complete those steps.

Some great books on craft, besides On Writing which was already recommended and is AMAZING.

- Story Genius by Lisa Cron
- Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne
- Wonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer
- Craft in the Real World by Matthew Salesses
- The Emotion Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi
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Kalen’s Answer

You've received some great answers.

I would only like to emphasize craft. Many new writers overlook how important it is to perfect your craft. The traditional industry is competitive and filled with great writers. The way to become great is with lots of studying, reading, and writing your own work. Be prepared to let some stories/novels go. The first ones are never the strongest, but that doesn't mean give up. Just don't pin all your hopes on one book. To be a writer, you need to write many stories no matter what your path is.

The indie industry is more forgiving of mistakes, but has a large focus on marketing. This is a good choice if you like business.

I would add Building Great Sentences by Brooks Landon to your list of must read books. Also pick up several grammar books.

And while it was already mentioned, I highly recommend critique groups.
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Ruth’s Answer

1. Reading!!! Keep reading. A rule of thumb is reading input should exceed writing output 10 to 1.
2. And after you read, imitate. Famously, Joan Didion improved her craft by typing out on a typewriter Hemmingway's works.
3. You have to write. Make it a habit. Do it every day. Set a tangible goal (200 words, one page, one thought), and keep yourself accountable.
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Katie’s Answer

I'd encourage you to read Stephen King's book On Writing. He shares everything he's learned as one of the most successful authors of our generation, and it's really inspiring!
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