Moorer - So You Want to Be a Writer

So You Want to Be a Writer

Published by Sherri Fulmer Moorer at Smashwords

Copyright 2011 Sherri Fulmer Moorer

Cover Photo by cohdra

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So you want to be a writer? There are a few things you will need in order to prepare for this journey. I hope this guide will help you prepare for the wonderful journey of being a writer. Ill cover the basics in three sections: What You Need, How to Prepare, and What to Expect.

1. A computer. Publishers only accept manuscripts typed in a common word processing program (like Microsoft Word) and prepared in a digital format according to strict guidelines. Laptop computers have come down in price with the advent of mobile devices, e-readers, and tablets, so getting a computer isnt as expensive as you think. You can even get them secondhand for cheap. I sold my old laptop through a local paper for $85.00 last summer. Family, friends, churches, and local businesses are all good sources for finding computers.

2. A back up drive. Computers are great, but you cant depend on a hard drive as the only source for storing your files. The eventual break, crash, or virus can wipe out everything, and I can say from experience that back up files have saved me numerous times at home and work. CDs and flash drives are relatively cheap and can be found anywhere, from discount stores to office supply warehouses. Or if you want to spend a little more to back up more files, you can buy an external hard drive.

3. E-mail access. As I mentioned above, everything is done digitally. Its easier, faster, and more efficient to correspond by E-mail, and it saves you time and postage. It doesnt cost a thing if you use popular places like Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail, or Gmail.

4. A website. This is imperative if you plan to pursue publication. It helps you to connect with readers and writers to establish an audience, and it shows that youre serious about getting your work into print. You dont have to be a guru to set up a website. In fact, there are places where you can set up a website for free or cheap, and design is as simple as dragging and dropping the elements you want to appropriate places on the page. I used Weebly to design a free website and upgraded to my own domain name when I got my publication contracts. Ive also heard that Yahoo and Go Daddy offer great website service for reasonable prices. You can also check with your E-mail provider to see if they offer an option to set up a website through them with your account.

5. A blog. Youre a writer, so this should be easy and fun. There are many places that offer free blog services, or you can check with your E-mail or Website provider to see if they offer a blog option. This is a great way to start building your readership and to market your work to publishers and potential readers.

1. Give yourself a refresher on grammar. I know its unpleasant, but its the foundation of writing and you must have a proper grasp on the English language if you hope to get published. I know from experience. My work was consistently rejected for a period of three years. I didnt understand why, until one of the publishers was kind enough to tell me that my work was good, but it needed extensive editing and that frightened many publishers from accepting a manuscript. I got the picture, refreshed my grammar skills, and was offered two contracts within a three month period of time.

2. Decide what you want to write and research how to do it best. Writing isnt simply a matter of pounding the keys until whats in your head is on your hard drive. Stories must have structure and several intermingling elements in order to work effectively, and every kind of writing follows its own structure. Theres one for poetry, one for short stories, one for novels, and an entirely different formula for non-fiction. For now, pick one thing you want to do and study up on it. There are many ways to do this, from workshops and classes to Internet research and reference manuals. Learning is a lifelong process, so commit yourself to the craft of writing and learning all you can about the type you like best.

3. Research the submission and publication process. Submission guidelines vary amongst publishers, but some things are universal, like query letters, book submissions, and the publication process. The writing world is a big one, so take some time to study how the process works and where the best places are to submit your work. Here are a few resources I found particularly helpful:

Writers Market by Robert Lee Brewer available at http://www.amazon.com/2012-Writers-Market-Robert-Brewer/dp/1599632268/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323487444&sr=1-1 . They also break this down into smaller volumes that specialize in markets such as Novels and Short Stories, Childrens Books, and Poetry, so you can buy a shorter version that focuses on your particular type of writing.

The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry available at http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Guide-Getting-Your-Published/dp/076116085X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323487657&sr=1-1 . This is hands down the best book Ive read that gives you information on everything from writing to publishing and publicity in all available avenues, all in one book!

EBook Crossroads has a great list of e-publishers at http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/epublishers.html . E-books are growing in popularity and I highly recommend considering this as an avenue to publication. You go through the same submission process with e-publishers as you do for traditional publishers, so youll still need to know how to draft a good query letter and book proposal to submit to these publishers.

4. Join a writers group. You need feedback from readers to make your work as strong and effective as possible. Family and friends are good, but they cant give you an unbiased opinion of your work because, well, they know you. You can join a local writers group or, if there isnt one, check out online groups. These are great because you can target your audience and get feedback from a wide variety of people from different places and cultures. Two websites that Ive found extremely helpful are Writing.com at www.writing.com and Authonomy at www.authonomy.com .

5. If you arent formally trained to type or if you arent comfortable using computers, take a short course at a local technical school. I mentioned before that everything is going digital and this isnt going away. The days of slipping beautifully handwritten manuscripts over the transom are over. Publishers only accept typewritten submissions and more are requesting e-mail submissions. So snuggle up to your laptop and make it your best friend.

1. Writing is a solitary endeavor. You must have an incredible amount of self motivation and truly love writing in order to stick it out through the work of brainstorming, outlining, researching, developing, and writing draft after draft of your work. This is why writers groups and social media are helpful to writers. They allow you to connect with others that have similar interests and face the same adventures and challenges as you do, and it keeps that motivation going.

2. Writing is a slow business. Ive often said what takes a year in the rest of the world takes ten years in the writing world. Writing new work takes time, researching takes time, building your skill as a writer takes time, submitting takes time, reviews take time the whole process crawls at a snails pace. It takes a long time to build yourself and your work up to a publishable level. I once read that it takes an average of ten years to get that first hit, and it was certainly true for me. Heck, Im still building myself up as an independent author, and Ive been writing since I got my first personal computer in 2000.