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Top Ten Tips from Published Authors



When I launched the Wordy Tips & Tidings website in November 2021, it was important to me to incorporate an Author Spotlight feature. I was eager to hear what authors had to say about their writing journeys, their books, where they found their inspiration, the daunting road to publication and how they found success, and most of all, what advice they had to share with aspiring authors. Since November, 2021, it’s been my pleasure and honor to interview over twenty-five authors. I’m fortunate to have numerous interviews, scheduled well into 2023, but still in the queue waiting to be published to the site, so I’ve only used the best advice from ten of the published interviews, with an added bonus!





One of the things I have found with authors I know, as well as artists in general,

is their lack of knowledge, or desire to know anything about marketing and business.


Over and over again, authors are frustrated that after they did all the work,

few seem to pay attention. This is the same for musicians and other artistic people.

My advice is to do the marketing, the social media, the ads, the everything that has to be done to

get your book into a reader’s hands, long before the book is released. There will be a definitive

difference in its success.




The Cardinal rule for me is to make sure that I do at least something for the book every day, once I’ve started the process. It doesn’t have to be a tremendous leap forward, but rather a steady progress one step at a time. Get something done every day or the book will never be finished.




Take advantage of the many resources out there to learn about the writing process and the book business. Find a community, such as this excellent one, Wordy Tips and Tidings, where you can read other people’s stories, stay excited about the writing process, put rejections in perspective, and learn a thing or two at the same time!




Bob: All it takes is one person to say yes. Keep looking for that yes. It’s out there.


Tim: To me, I think the best advice I can give is that it always pays to be curious and observant. You can learn a lot just looking around you, from the people you know and interact with every day. The more curious and observant you are, the more empathetic you can be to someone else’s circumstances, which means you can better write to that “reality” in a sense. We always say this about marketers and I think it’s also true certainly for journalists and writers – the best ones are curious about other people. And I think you’ll find fascinating stories everywhere if you really want to dig in.




Following your gut instinct with a story is the best piece of advice I can honestly give anyone. Maybe that sounds cliché, but I don’t believe there’s a single piece of better advice out there. Trust the process and don’t give up on it if you absolutely know that it’s a good idea. Too many young writers out there give up prematurely because someone told them that their idea was terrible, or they should reconsider. If you know in your heart that you can write a novel or short story and you have the fearlessness to accomplish such a feat. Always try to complete it. You’ll have to go back over it many times, but you’ll be happy that you wrote it.




Read as much as possible and write as much as possible. Even if you are writing for yourself, keep writing.




Your soulful voice and poetry is important, always, forever, and now, but especially now in this age of artificial intelligence and propaganda. It is great to study the elements, tools, and styles of poetry so you can understand poetry more fully. But naivety can also be a gift to your creativity. The rules are made to be broken. You can be free and inventive. Poetry is what YOU want to say and how you want to say it at any given moment. It can be traditional or non-traditional. The main thing is it is YOUR voice. There is only one unique magnificent YOU!!! May YOUR very soul be a great poem! Our life is a message!




Be patient. Believe in yourself. Be organized. Write every day. There will be days you need inspiration, find what inspires you. It could be reading others' work, rereading your work, taking a walk or a swim or a shower, looking at art, being outdoors, brushing your teeth, changing your workspace - pack up your laptop and head to the beach, the park, a coffee shop, your backyard, a different room.




Advice - write, write, write. When you don't feel like writing, write anyway. The most important piece of advice I can give is to not listen to those who tell you it's too hard or there's no future in it. Most writers commit to the long solitary hours in front of a computer screen because they have a story to tell. You never write for the masses. You write for yourself and that's good enough.




My advice is to take your time writing and finding a publisher that has a good reputation and is trustworthy. In my case, I used a publisher that assisted me to self-publish my books.




Terrie Moran – Best-selling author of Cozy Mysteries including coauthoring with Jessica Fletcher on the Murder, She Wrote, series.


Finish what you start. Don’t dismiss your current project because a new idea pops into your head and you think that it is better than the project you are currently writing. Discipline is essential. You cannot submit a project that was never completed.



1 Comment


Guest
Jun 09, 2022

So happy to be included! See you all in September!! Terrie Moran

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Hi. I'm Liz Ambrico, freelance proofreader and aspiring author. I too am querying agents, editors, and publishers in hopes of becoming a published author.

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Wordy is the get-in-the-know hotspot for writers. From grammar to publishing find info, tips, and inspiration to take your WIP (Work In Progress) to the next level.

Welcome!

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I co-founded and managed a successful author and writer group on Long Island for five years. During events with publishers and authors I learned what matters, what agents are looking for, and the benefits and pitfalls of traditional publishing vs. self-publishing.

I've gained a lot of tips and tidings on my writing journey and want to share what I know.

Besides my passion for writing, I'm a fitness enthusiast, and I love coffee, chocolate, and animals. I'm mom to two amazing young men, and I live on Long Island with my husband, four zany cats, and the sweetest dog ever.

Whether you're new to writing, ready to query, or about to submit your manuscript,  welcome, you've come to the right place.

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Alyssa is Wordy's website administrator and tech guru. She holds a degree in Communication and has always enjoyed writing and marketing, both of which are highly useful skills for aspiring authors. 

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