Three Things Every Author Needs To Do

If you're serious about getting published...

For your convenience, I've written that sentence a second time.

If you're SERIOUS about getting published, (did that drive my point home?) here are three things that are absolutely not an option.

Number One

You have to know your craft. There are grammatical quirks in the English language that still trip up everyone, but the best writers are those who never stop learning. Remember the day you finally mastered the difference between "their," "they're," and "there"? Or that time you Googled "semicolon use for dummies" and finally figured out how to use it? Keep doing those kinds of things. Always.

I recently finished laying out a book for an author who knew nothing about the underlying rules of creative writing. I wanted to rename her book "The Hyphen Chronicles," because, I swear, there were more hyphens in this book than I've probably used in all the books I've ever written. Compound adjectives that were hyphenated, not hyphenated, made into one word... There was no consistency. It was sloppy, amateurish, and sad. Please, take an English class. Take a creative writing class. Get plugged into a local writing group. There is no better way to keep your manuscript from getting shoved to the bottom of a publisher's or agent's slush pile than to completely ignore the widely-accepted basics of your craft.

Number Two

You've got to let people read your writing. I know it's your baby. I know you're scared to let it come under the gun, but better get that critique now before you send it out into the cold, hard world. I'm sure you're friends with an English teacher, a book-loving stay-at-home mom, a librarian, or someone who devours books like the apocalypse is coming. So recruit some of these people to be beta readers. Get at least a dozen people to read your work and tell you what they think. I guarantee they'll come up with valuable insights that haven't even crossed your mind, insights that will have the potential to immensely improve your book IF you're humble enough to take their advice to heart.

Number Three

Have your book professionally edited. In the absolute least, get it proof-read, especially if you're going the indie author route. If you want to be taken seriously by book reviewers, bloggers, or even readers, having a book that has been edited will help it stand out above the rest. I met an author recently who said he won't even read books for endorsements unless they have been professionally edited. I kind of admit, I agree with him. A book loaded with typos and punctuation errors is a pain to read, and it won't win you many praises from your peers.

Trust me. I've been on both sides of these issues. I've been the author who was too afraid to ask people for critique, and I've been the publisher who was face-palming himself over an atrociously written manuscript. Don't be just another first-time author. Learn your craft. Have your work critiqued. Get edited. Get noticed!