Overcoming the last novel writing sin can make the difference between getting published or having your manuscript rejected:
Sin #7: Thinking you can do this alone
Don’t be that writer who spends time trying to prove you know exactly what you’re doing. Rather, be the writer who’s always learning from the experts.
Writers who learn are writers who grow.
I asked a few of the best authors, writing coaches, and publishing experts I know:
If you could go back to the beginning of your writing career and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
Some of their answers:
Joe Bunting, founder of The Write Practice:
“Always be learning. You think you’re pretty talented. You think you’re pretty smart. And you are. But the best way to fail at being a writer is to spend all your time proving you know what you’re doing rather than learning from the people and resources around you. Stop posturing. Start practicing. And have fun.”
Bridget McNulty, co-founder of Now Novel:
“Getting published is really exciting, but it’s not the point of writing. The actual writing is what it’s all about—the daily joy in sitting down to a blank page and crafting something beautiful or funny or heart-wrenching …
“While getting published is a great ego boost, the real meaning in writing comes from the words flowing out of your fingertips—and the sense of achievement in a finished project.”
Joanna Penn, novelist and writing coach:
“Schedule time to write, show up for that meeting with yourself, and put words onto the page.
“It doesn’t matter if those words aren’t very good—they probably won’t be, but that’s OK because you can make them better when you edit them later.
“But you can’t edit a blank page, so get your butt into the chair and write!”
For more advice, click here for 40 seasoned writers’ words of wisdom.
“The real reason you became a writer is because you have something to say.”
“Grab the reader by the throat and don’t let go.” -Jerry Jenkins
And let me add:
You need a mentor.
Guidance from someone who has done what you want to do is an imperative step in your writing journey.
The greatest benefit of a mentor is not feeling alone.
This is why I’m so passionate about passing on my best advice on finishing your book.
Here’s one of my most popular webinars for free. You’ll be able watch whenever you want.
Jerry
Webinar: How I write best-selling novels (The meat of the info begins at minute 5:00.)
Jerry Jenkins has written 195 books and 21 of them made the NYT Best Sellers list.
He started out as a sportscaster and then went to Bible College and started writing Christian books. His Left Behind series, co-written with Tim LaHay, has sold 70+ million copies. It’s about the rapture and tribulation in the Book of Revelation, and has a number of imitators that are also excellent, like “Survivors: You'll be surprised who gets left behind.”