The Writer's Life

From the time I was a boy, I wanted to be a writer. Stories seemed so magical. My mother read to me almost evert day. I can remember sitting on the sofa in the living room, tight beside her, as she read stories to me. I began writing when I was a teenager and have written most of my life. Now I’m in my seventies and am writing with new enthusiasm. 

But I have only had one story or novel accepted by a publisher, and that was never published. People have always told me I have talent. In college I always got high marks for what I wrote. I remember one professor asking if he could keep one of may papers to use as an example in his classes. But still, I have had no success.

In the last year or two, I have taken up writing again with great joy. I have rewritten two of my old novels and have self published them on Amazon. They have gone absolutely nowhere. What I consider my best novel has sold one copy.

Now, as you read this, you can say, well, he must be a terrible writer. I don’t think that’s true. Everyone who has read my book Want has praised it. It’s a good story with believable characters. True, it’s not a great novel, but it’s a good one.

So why have I had no success? The problem is not my writing or my story ideas. The problem is me.

Unless you’re a genius, if you want to be a writer, there are certain things you must do. Here is my list. Except for the first two, I have never done any of them.

1)  You must write. Constantly. Every day. Even if you have the worse case of writer’s block ever, you must try.

2)  You must read. Read everything. All the great novels. But also history, biography, philosophy. Everything.

3)  You must talk to other writers, befriend them, become part of a writer’s group. Even if you     are trying to write dark psychological novels and they are writing mysteries and romances, share with them.

4) Share your work with anyone who will read it. Listen to what they say. Your mother will always tell you it’s  good. Your best friend will be more honest.

5)  You must really try to get published. Short stories in obscure monthlies, if need be. Stories any and everywhere. Twenty-five rejections for your novel should not matter. Maybe the twenty-sixth will sell, or the eightieth.

6) Nowadays, you need an agent. When you have a track record with magazines, find a good one.

7) When you become a novelist, stick to one genre. My books are all over the place, mysteries, general fiction. I’m now working on a science fiction novel!

8) Find an audience and contact them through FaceBook and blogs. Befriend them.

9) And most importantly, learn from criticism. If someone says Chapter Four is dull, don’t reject the comment  because you see Chapter Four as your best writing ever. If your readers find it dull, it probably is.