“Why should I read your blog about writing?” Says a man to me at Dairy King. He sucks in fresh banana split malt through a straw.
I pull my hair behind my ears so I don’t get fried crumbs in the ends.
“Well?”
Tempted to open my mouth and show him what’s inside, I instead send my fries further down the digestive system. I grab a handful of napkins and spread them on my lap. “Do you know about self-publishing, with which several writers make a three-figure income?”
My fellow customer arches his bushy eyebrows, the left one forming a tent top.
Are you aware of all the daily stuff a best-selling author must do?”
He shrugs.
“Read. Read. Read. Especially in their chosen genre(s). Re-engage with what passive language is, and how to avoid that mess.” I remove the top of my mini holder of ranch dressing.
“Learning is a big part of writing. One must understand what’s coming up in the market, keep to a schedule, practice public speaking and teaching, stay healthy, and find some way to pay bills.
“But the parts I like best are joining a critique group, attending training, networking, finding an editor, settling on a pitch, entering contests and even getting rejection letters.”
The man removed his eyeglasses, breathed on them and wiped them with his T-shirt.
“Oh, and plotting, and researching, and character development, and typing. Hand writing is okay. Just not as quick.” I dip my deep-fried zucchini in watered-down ranch dressing.
“There certainly is a lot to being a professional writer.” He stands and stretches.
I smile at him, but don’t show my teeth. “Oh, and authors must put their work into the public eye. You know, enter contests, or send a query letter to available literary agents. Let alone be aware of bootleggers, and AI copying their work.”
He pauses, adjusts his ball cap, nods my way, then exits.
For those of you that have stayed, allow me to highlight a couple things you, as a writer might want to do:
READ! BOOKS I’M READING/HAVE FINISHED
SOIL By Camille T. Dungy
When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn (NOTE: when soliciting an agent, authors should compare their manuscript to current publications)
An American Beauty by Shana Abeʹ
Our Savior From Self-Doubt by Gaylamarie Roseberg
The Exchange by John Grisham (How long I have waited for a sequel to The Firm!)
LEARN! AVAILABLE TRAINING IS EVERYWHERE
https://www.writersofthefuture.com/writing-workshophttps
GET YOUR WORK OUT THERE! AVAILABLE CONTESTS
https://www.writers of the future.com
https://www.writersdigest.com/writers-digest-competitions/annual-writing-competition
You got this!
Until next month, happy summer!