Everyone gets into fiction writing for the same reason–because they have a story to tell!

So, naturally, starting your writing career by writing a story seems like the right approach. But if you are serious about someday becoming a professional, published author, you may not want to rush into it so fast.

Why?

Because no one writing their first book knows everything about writing. And they likely know even less about what it takes to become a successful published author.

Diving into that initial manuscript head first and eyes closed is a great way to end up with a massive, never-ending, horrifying revision process. Trust me, I’ve been there. The normal revision process is painful. A never-ending revision? That’s downright torture, especially for an eager new writer.

So heed my warning. Put the pen down. Close that Word doc. And do these five things first to assure you make the journey from aspiring writer to successful author. (Instead of the alternative: aspiring writer to frustrated, overwhelmed, and now giving up on this crap manuscript, former aspiring writer.)

1. Get On Twitter

Despite the many downfalls of social media, there are some parts of it that actually do good. (I mean, how else are you supposed to keep up with friends and family during a pandemic?)

For aspiring writers, the most good you can get from social media comes from Twitter.

LinkedIn is great for industry professionals. Facebook is prime for small businesses. Instagram is where every Etsy seller needs to be.

And Twitter is for writers.

Most of the younger authors you know are on Twitter. All the big names are there. And so are the industry professionals—agents, publishers, and editors.

But it is the massive community of other aspiring writers that makes Twitter the place to be for anyone just starting out.

The writing community is amazing. It is a wealth of knowledge and support. If you are going to start this journey, you’ll need plenty of both along the way.

Tips for building your Twitter writing community

• Twitter Pitch Parties – You can still be an active participant in pitch parties even without a finished project. Those who are pitching rely on others to boost their pitch tweet. You can offer help by RTing the ones you like. Most writers will show their appreciation with a follow.
• Search Using Writing Hashtags – #writingcommunity, #writerslife, and #writers are all frequently used by aspiring authors. Search these on Twitter and follow the writers that sound interesting or align with your genre.
• Get In On a Writers Lift – #writerslift is all about getting new writers a bigger following. People with thousands of followers often tweet lifts so that those with fewer followers can comment. Everyone who comments follows everyone else. Boom! Insta-fame!
• Follow Your Favorite Authors – But, more importantly, follow the people who follow them. Professional authors often give great advice via Twitter, but you are more likely to make a real connection with the aspiring writers who follow them.
• Ask for Help – Ask your fellow writers to look over your work. Many writers are in the same boat as you and would love to swap scenes or chapters to get feedback. I have made some amazing connections this way.

2. Read Books in Your Genre

Most writers love to read. And ALL writers SHOULD read. But reading just the classics or only the blockbusters won’t help your future career as much as taking a more focused approach.

Reading within the genre you hope to write will help you in so many ways.

You’ll get familiar with tone and style

Reading what you write allows you to be immersed in the style and tone common to your genre. Even if you aren’t conscious of it, these elements will affect how your writing sounds. So why not take advantage of this subliminal process to help your story better align with your intended audience?

I know we all want to be unique in our craft and do something that has never been done. But if the first novel you try to sell is a heavy sci-fi that reads more like a dry memoir from the 1800s, you are going to struggle.

So set yourself up for success this first time around by getting familiar with the structure and sound of your genre. Don’t worry, it will still have your personal voice weaved into it.

And when you are a billionaire novelist with five movie deals, then you can attempt that Star Warsesk manuscript written in the tone of Thoreau.

You’ll understand what’s selling

Reading famous books within your genre is a great idea, but reading new releases is just as important. These will give you a good idea of what is in demand within the genre.

Tastes change and so does what publishers are looking for. Predicting what will be “in” when your book is finally done is impossible. But writing to emulate something published this year will likely get you closer than emulating something published back in the fifties (especially if it was the 1850s).

You’ll get to know industry professionals in your niche

Another great reason to read current novels in your genre is that it helps you get to know the players.

Once you finish and polish your book (which you absolutely will), you will need to begin the arduous process of querying and finding an agent. Even if you go the self-publishing route, being familiar with authors, editors, book printers, and others in your niche will be helpful.

When you find a book you really like or one that seems similar to the one you want to write, take note of the author and publishing house (or platform for self-published works). For traditionally published works you can even find info on the author’s agent and editor by doing a little sleuthing.

Having an idea of the specific players you may be able to reach out to will be helpful later on in your writing journey.

Did I mention comps?

The more you read within your niche now, the easier it will be to find comparative titles when the time comes.

That’s really all I need to say about that right now, but I promise, you will thank me one day for this!

3. Connect with the Authors You Read

Whether reading inside your niche or out, you’ll want to connect with the authors you like.

The Twitter connection

Following them on Twitter is a great start. Newer authors often go the extra mile to connect with their fans. They are more likely than seasoned authors to respond to messages and tweets.

They may even be willing to give you some advice on your personal work. Or, at the very least, they can give you some tips on the writing and publishing journey based on their own experience.

Author blogs

So many authors, both new and more experienced, have blogs on their author sites. This can be a great source of information. You are likely to find everything from pointers on plot to tales of publishing whoa.

If you are limited in how much time you can devote to following authors, choose just those within your niche. Or, at least those who pursued the same type of publishing you hope to.

They are likely to share valuable insight into the people and places they worked with on their journey to publishing. One day, assuming everything goes according to plan, you may be walking down that same path. Doing it with a detailed map in your hand will help immensely.

4. Take a Writing Class

Whether you are an English major or a tax attorney, you will benefit from taking a writing class (or ten).

Writing fiction is such a creative endeavor that there is no one path to follow. This means you could take twenty classes on plot development and learn something new in each of them.

Now, I certainly don’t mean you need to head back to college. In fact, that is probably completely unnecessary.

Today, there are so many great online options for learning that you often don’t even have to leave your house to improve your writing. Here are some of my favorite resources for improving writing skills:

• Gotham Writers – Gotham Writers Workshop is a New York-based writing school that offers many great classes and workshops online. They even have weekly free write-ins and, since the pandemic began, free zoom classes every Wednesday that cover everything from writing short stories to getting published.
• MasterClass – It seems like there is a MasterClass for just about anything you could imagine. So, of course, there are writing MasterClasses. Current fiction teachers include Margret Atwood, Joyce Carol Oates, David Baldacci, Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, Judy Blume, and James Patterson. So…yeah, definitely worth the cost of that year-long subscription.
• Writing Conferences – This one is much less specific. But, whether you are looking at a big city or small town writers’ conference, there is something to be gained from attending these multi-day events. They usually combine classes with speaker presentations and panel discussions, all with great information for writers at any stage in the writing process. Check your local writing clubs for smaller conferences or google “writing conference” to find some of the more noteworthy options.

5. Join a Writing Group

Lastly, if you are serious about your writing, you need to join a writing group.

You need someone to hold you accountable

This may be a serious local affair with writers meeting in person at the local coffee shop (social distancing and masks in place, of course). Or just you and a new buddy on twitter passing pages back and fourth.

Either way, having a writing group or writing partner holds you accountable. It forces you to get the work done.

You need to learn how to share

Writing groups also give you an easy introduction into sharing your work with others.

Once you finish your first draft and begin the revising process, you will HAVE TO share your work. No man is an island, and no writer is capable of editing their own work all by themselves. Popping that sharing cherry with a familiar group of others feeling just as vulnerable is the gentlest intro to this process you will get.

You’ll see what works (and what doesn’t) in real time

Lastly, but maybe most importantly, working with other novice writers allows you to read others’ drafts.

Sometimes this will make you feel crappy about the work you turn out. Sometimes it will make you feel like a pro. In either case, it will improve your writing as you work to avoid the mistakes of some and emulate the work of others.

Now, Write with Abandon!

Okay. You’ve got your Twitter account and you’ve gained some followers. You’ve got a stack of novels in your preferred genre and have successfully stalked the authors online. You’ve signed up for some classes and have put together a virtual writing group.

Now what?

NOW, it’s time to write. And I mean WRITE!

The hardest thing about writing your first book (or short story or novella), is getting it out on paper.

By following the five tips above, you will have built a strong foundation of support and knowledge to help you get that story out in a way that works.

So go do it!

Are you a brand new author still working toward completing your first project? Pose your questions below to get great advice and support from The WRITE Prompt community. More of a seasoned veteran? Post in the comments section below to let me know what you wish you had done before you started writing to set yourself up for success.