Papa Hemingway's advice for professional writers was to put pen to paper every day. If you want to make a living from it, you need to find your niche and pursue it with a vengeance.
What does that mean? Whether you choose to be a creative author, a copywriter or a B2B professional...or anything in-between, it's imperative that you take the approach of a trained athlete. That means a daily workout and training. In the case of a writer, it means practicing and perfecting your skills on a continuous basis. Trust me, you'll never be too old to learn something new every day.
Additionally, join writing groups, communicate with other writers, and share ideas. Critique the writing of others. You'll be amazed at what you can learn from the mistakes of others...and how it will sharpen your own skills.
Don't be afraid to take non-traditional routes to get your work read. I've gone with both the traditional and self-publishing routes, and now I've signed with Troll River Publications to try my hand at ePublishing. That's something new for me, but one about which I'm truly jazzed.
Finally, always, always put your work in the hands of a talented editor. That might sound self-serving, But it doesn't matter what editor as long as he/she is honest, talented and creative. Every talented person needs a coach, a trainer, if you will.
And, write like your life depended on it...because, if you're a writer, it does.
What does that mean? Whether you choose to be a creative author, a copywriter or a B2B professional...or anything in-between, it's imperative that you take the approach of a trained athlete. That means a daily workout and training. In the case of a writer, it means practicing and perfecting your skills on a continuous basis. Trust me, you'll never be too old to learn something new every day.
Additionally, join writing groups, communicate with other writers, and share ideas. Critique the writing of others. You'll be amazed at what you can learn from the mistakes of others...and how it will sharpen your own skills.
Don't be afraid to take non-traditional routes to get your work read. I've gone with both the traditional and self-publishing routes, and now I've signed with Troll River Publications to try my hand at ePublishing. That's something new for me, but one about which I'm truly jazzed.
Finally, always, always put your work in the hands of a talented editor. That might sound self-serving, But it doesn't matter what editor as long as he/she is honest, talented and creative. Every talented person needs a coach, a trainer, if you will.
And, write like your life depended on it...because, if you're a writer, it does.
RSS Feed