Author's Advice
Whether you're a new or seasonedauthor, join a group:
It doesn't matter if you're a budding author pounding out your first book or a seasoned veteran with several manuscripts gathering dust under the bed, if you want to sell, you'll want to join a critique group or an organized collection of authors who offer ways in which to build your craft. Not all groups work for all people, but if you're careful in choosing one with similar interests and goals, you can benefit from their advice as well as their support. A critique group can help hold you down when you're ready to throw your computer out a second-story window.
Writing is a business:
Clear-cut financial goals as well as creative goals will ensure your success as an author. Don't be afraid to strive for the best as you develop your one-year, five-year, and ten-year career plans. The best way to reach your goals is to put them in writing and plaster them all over your office and computer (I also stick them to my forehead). When you submit your work, be willing to show the professional publishing world you view your writing career as seriously as they do. Show them they did the right thing when they chose you by having another book idea (or completed manuscript) ready for them. Also keep in mind the more you invest in your career, the more success will come back to you.
Attending Conferences:
I recently attended two conferences and found they were both affordable and extremely beneficial. The San Diego State Universtiy Writers' Conference is one of the most well-rounded, economically-feasible conferences available to both published and unpublished authors. The editors and agents attending this conference never failed to be approachable and enthusiastic about talking with attendees about their careers. In the past, I've attended larger conferences where I experienced the opposite, but never at SDSU!
The Desert Dreams Writers' Conference in Chandler, AZ, hosted by Desert Rose, a local Phoenix chapter of RWA (Romance Writers of America), is another conference I highly recommend. Well-run and full of information as well as one-on-one editor/agent appointments, workshops, writing contests, and book signings, this is one conference that offers authors everything they need to jump-start their careers or pull themselves out of the slush pile.
A Personal Note: Working at a writers' conference offers as many benefits as attending one. Don't be afraid to support your local authors' groups and help them with conferences and other events. You'll get a behind-the-scenes peek at the professionals greasing the publishing wheels as well as an extra chance at meeting dream agents and editors!