How to Become a Writer

May 18, 2014 by Doug Dillon 753 0 0

The basics to get your started. 10 tips from author and freelance writer, Doug Dillon. Doug is the author of The St. Augustine Trilogy.

So you want to be a writer, eh? Great! The water is a little rough in the literary ocean, and at times it can be cold enough to chill you to the bone. But if you have some talent, get into it for the long run, and are willing to work your butt off, you can definitely get published. And maybe even get paid for it as well.

I’ve written the “10 Tips” you’ll find below because I’m hoping they will help to get you safely launched into the writing world. These are the simple things I have culled from my 30 + years of being published, the type of guidance I wish I had when I started out so long ago. My suggestion to you is that after reading what you find here, you:

Copy and paste them into a document for future reference.
Actually create a written plan on how you will become a writer and include a printed copy of my “Tips” in that document. Use it like a checklist.
Take a quick romp through my website and see who I am, what I write about and how I communicate with the public. In that way, you will be able to get a sense of one writer’s journey.
At the end of this article, you will find some links to blog posts I’ve created. Scan some of them if you have time and just maybe you’ll get a more in-depth feel for how I connect with the outside world.

I wish you well on your journey. Go get ’em!

Doug’s 10 Writing Tips

1. First Things First!
Even if you desperately want to write fiction, definitely start with nonfiction (articles and/or books) in order to
 get published
 build your writing credits
 hone your writing skills
 actually make some money
The fiction world is unbelievably tough to break into. That doesn’t mean you don’t work
on your fiction ideas as you’re going along. Just don’t depend on the products of that writing to get established as a productive, income producing writer.

2. Follow Your Heart!!
Write about what you love, what interests you or what could interest you if you really let it happen. Doing so will provide the spark that continually ignites your literary career and inflames the interest of your readers. If you’re like most people, you have multiple interests and some of those you can match with what the public wants.

3. Study Your Craft!!
Learn all the rules of writing that you can. That’s a never-ending process. Read what others writers have to say, go to conferences and take classes.

4. Get Support!!
 Join one or more writers’ groups—local, state, national, international.
 Get critiques and editing suggestions from those you trust but who will be honest.

5. Write Something Every Day!!
If you are going to be a writer, then write! At the very least, maintain a journal of some kind so that the written word becomes an integral part of your life.

6. Read!!
Don’t kid yourself. If you don’t read a lot, you will never be a good writer. Read extensively both in and outside of your genre(s)/area(s) of interest. BUT – if you’re a voracious reader, be careful that you don’t read so much that you don’t write. Yes, it can be a very delicate balance.

7. Take Care of Yourself!!
It’s just too easy to let so many things go when you get deeply involved in your writing and the marketing of your work. Instead:
 Get organized and stay organized.
 Watch out for letting relationships slip.
 Get decent sleep, exercise and eat right.
 Be very careful with the use of alcohol, drugs, caffeine and tobacco. They might help some people in the short-term, but they can really GET YOU in the end if you aren’t careful.
 Have fun. Get away from it all when you can.
 Meditate, do yoga, and/or pray in order to stay balance.

8. Learn How to Market Yourself and Your Writing Now!!
Even if you land a book contract with a huge publisher, you will still have to get out there and push your own stuff. This is especially true if you are going to self publish.

9. Give Back!!
As you learn and succeed, offer encouragement and guidance to other writers less experienced than you. Run a writers’ group, help run a writers’ conference or review somebody’s book for them on Amazon or Goodreads. There will definitely be many opportunities to assist others.

10. Don’t Give Up!!
If you’re really going to be a writer, be in it for the long haul. Keep driving yourself forward but learn more, read more, write more and continually find new ways to make it happen.

OK, as promised, here are those links to some of my past blog posts that might be of interest:

Announcing My First Novel

Going Public with the Paranormal

Helping a Fellow Writer in Need

How a Goodreads Contest Ended Up as a Paranormal Event