50 Things I Learned about The Writing Life...

I had a milestone birthday this week. So in celebration of that, here are the 50 things I learned about the writing life...

1. Publishing is a business. The goal is to sell books.
2. Make sure that you're writing your next book.
3. Writing is a lot of work. The first few "sloppy" drafts need a lot of work.
4. Build relationships through your social media platform. They make a difference!
5. Set a blogging and social media schedule that works for you. These sites need care and feeding, but they shouldn't be a 24x7 job.
6. Everyone has an opinion. Comments and reviews can sting, but learn what you can from them and then move on.
7. Try to write something every day.
8. Keep a notebook or electronic notes of names and story ideas. You never know when you'll encounter something that'll work in your next book or story.
9. Look at your social media posts. Make sure that they're not all "buy my book."
10. Make sure that you share others' celebrations on your social media sites.
11. Writers have to network, market, and build their platforms. Just make sure you leave enough time for writing.
12. Collect email addresses at your events for your newsletter's mailing list. Get a clipboard and make sure you take it with you to signings.
13. Writing is often lonely. Find your tribe. Look for other authors or groups who will assist and support you. (I am so fortunate to have my Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia, Sisters in Crime, Guppies, and James River Writer friends.)
14. Find beta readers or a critique group to help you revise and edit your work.
15. Look for volunteer opportunities to give back to your community. It's also a great way to meet new people. The writing life is often solitary.
16. Build a street team or an advance team to help you with early marketing and reviews.
17. Volunteer to do guest blogs or interviews. It's a great way to keep your name in front of people.
18. Remind yourself that you do not have to do everything. There are lots of opportunities, but you can burn out if you're constantly on the go. Take care of yourself.
19. Keep one master calendar for all of your events and deadlines. It helps me stay organized.
20. There are going to be setbacks and disappointments. You need to persevere.
21. Learn from your mistakes. Make note of how you'd do it differently next time.
22. I try a lot of events and marketing ideas. If it doesn't work for me, I see what I can learn from it and move on.
23. Order bookmarks and postcards. Make sure you always have them with you.
24. Check out Canva. It's a great tool for websites and social media banners and post artwork. It's easy to use, and a lot of the backgrounds are free.
25. Make a list of the words you overuse. Then use your word processor to root them out of your manuscript.
26. Keep a chart or list of your characters and settings (especially if you write a series) to ensure you keep the details correct.
27. Take pictures at your events or on your adventures to share on your website or social media platforms.
28. Review your website from time to time to ensure your content and photos are current.
29. Check all of your links on your website and social media sites to verify they are correct.
30. Review your social media biographies or descriptions to ensure that they are current.
31. Make sure that you backup your computer files. It's devastating when you lose your work.
32. Make sure you keep your author headshot current. (People will comment if your picture is ten years old and no longer looks like you.)
33. Don't burn bridges. You never know who you'll encounter later.
34. Always be professional. Be on time and strive to meet all deadlines.
35. Most of my correspondence is done via email. I keep lots of folders to ensure I can find the email when I need it. I also add new contacts to my address book immediately, so I don't lose them.
36. Post a link to your blog to Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Facebook to drive traffic to your blog/website.
37. Read your work aloud to find issues with wording and dialog.
38. I create a Pinterest board for each of my stories/novels, so I have a visual of the setting, characters, and other story elements.
39. Print your manuscript and proofread line by line after each round of editing to catch issues.
40. When you are revising, check the last paragraph of each chapter. Make sure it compels the reader to keep reading and not find a stopping place.
41. Use your word processor's view feature to make your pages small (e.g. 25%). Look at each chapter to make sure the lengths are relatively similar. You don't want a 30-page chapter and then a 6-page one.
42. Get readers or writers to read your manuscript. You'll get a better critique than if you ask a friend or family member.
43. Don't rely on your word processor's spell or grammar checker. It's not always correct.
44. Keep all of your receipts and be diligent about tracking your mileage. You'll be glad when it's tax time.
45. Keep a box of books in the trunk of your car. I've encountered times when the bookseller couldn't get books in time for an event. Also, at several events, the bookseller sold out, so it was nice that I had some extras to provide on consignment.
46. Take time to celebrate your wins and successes.
47. I use Etsy to find book- and mystery-themed gifts that are easy to mail for give-aways.
48. Look to see if your neighborhood, work, club, or alumni association has a newsletter. If there's an announcements or celebrations section, submit your next book launch or release.
49. If you have a chance, participate in a Facebook hop. It's a lot of fun, and I met lots of new readers and fans.
50. Don't give up. The writing life is a challenge, and it's difficult sometimes, but it is worth it. I still squeal when that box of books arrives.

Beware of mystery author with a knife!