As a writer and blogger, I’ve stumbled down many an alleyway
mostly due to naiveté.
Now I recognize how stooopid they were, those instances of
Doh! and I cringe.
In order to help the writers just leaving the starting gate, I have three big
Don’ts.
Since most writers have little time to dink around with long
posts, here is
Monumental Advice Number One
Tell no one that you are writing/have written a book. If you
have a spouse who supports you, it’s okay to tell them (she said grudgingly)
but use digression.
By keeping your writing career mum, you will avoid these Questions.
“So where is your book? I keep checking the NYT bestseller list but *insert the snark here* haven’t seen your name.”
“I saw this ad about publishing your own book. They call it a vanity press. Why don’t you use them?”
“It’s been three months since you finished the book and still not published? Wow. “*insert pitying expression*
Advice Number Two:
Do not disparage agents, agencies, or your fellow authors on
your blog. Self-inflicted wounds, i.e. shooting yourself in the foot, lose
their charm after the first direct hit. No good can come of offending your
potential clients and backers.
Last of the Three For-Heaven’s-Sake-Don’t-Do-This Rules
Posting rejections, the number of queries sent, the extra
pages requested might seem like a good idea. But do you really want your
followers to see this? Anytime I consider posting my stats, I refer to the Number
One and the inclination dies.
Do you have any deep regrets since starting this business?
I’d love to hear more from writers who committed the First Mistake, their
friends and family’s responses, and how they dealt with them.
