5 Steps To Jumpstart Your Writing Career

Writing is probably one of the easiest and the hardest things to do. It is easy because writing is all about thoughts and ideas and we all have them. It's hard because putting those thoughts and ideas down on paper can be quite scary; especially if you want others to read those words. And scarier, yet, if you want a publisher to pay you for those words because with payment comes constructive criticism and often, rejection.
There is no quick and easy way to get published, but it is possible if you tackle your goals of getting published in five steps.
Step One: Write Every Day
It's true that life can be one huge balancing act and that you will often find you have less time in your day than you realized. So the first step should be to carve out some time in your day just for writing. Whether it is five minutes or one hour, make it a priority to write something every single day.
Write about what matters to you in a personal journal. Write a letter to a friend. Write a paragraph in an article. Write a page in a book. Just write. Actively working towards your goal of becoming a writer, by actually writing, will help build the confidence you need to begin the submission process.
Step Two: Join Writers' Groups
Join a local writers' group. If there is not a local writers' group in your area, look online. It is important to have an accountability group—having someone to be accountable to can help keep you from pushing your writing dreams to the sideline. And having a support system in place that truly understands your struggles as a writer can help you succeed when the rejections come in. And trust me, they will. Rejections are a huge part of a writer's life. Writers get rejected for bad timing, lack of interest, and even poor writing. Writers get more rejections in a single year than most people do in a life time.
Step Three: Read About Writing
Subscribe to magazines and free newsletters geared towards writers. Receiving a weekly or monthly boost of inspiration may be what you need to stay on path. When I first began writing, as a professional, I found inspiration in the successes of other writers. I found inspiration in learning from other's mistakes. And I found inspiration in many of the "you can do" how to articles. After writing became more natural, I cut back on many of the writing magazines, and now only subscribe to a small handful of writing newsletters. I find that they keep me on track and push me to succeed; especially when I see names in the industry that I recognize or names of writers I've personally met.
Step Four: Pitch Your Ideas
Purchase a copy of The Writers' Market, or sign up for the online database (http://www.writersmarket.com/). The Writers' Market is filled with submission guidelines, addresses, and editorial information for magazines, websites, and book publishers. It's a great place to start your writing career. Locate a publisher interested in what you have to offer and practice writing query letters that tailor to the needs of the publication.
Step Five: Submit Queries
Submit one query letter or article (based upon submission guidelines) a week. As you begin to feel more comfortable, step it up a notch and submit one query a day.
What are you waiting for? Jumpstart your writing career today. Check out the writing articles at http://thedabblingmum.com/writing and then subscribe to the free, weekly writing newsletter.


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