3 Things You Should Do if You’re a New Writer

Perhaps you just finished your first book…or perhaps you haven’t even finished the first chapter.

I’ve put a bit of thought into this and believe there are three things you should do if you’re just starting out in the industry: make some writing friends (fid a local writing group), get better at writing (improve your craft), and start marketing (register a domain name)

1. Join a local writing group/chapter.  Most cities have writing groups and you’ll be surprised by the number of published authors you’ll meet. Every group is a little different, but many offer opportunities to for getting honest critiques,  listening to speakers on a variety of writing topics, and having great conversations with other writers.  National organizations like Romance Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Of America, Mystery Writers of America, and many others have local chapters that are worth checking out.

2. Improve your craft.  Anyone heard of that writer Stephen King?  apparently he’s written a few books and done quite well for himself.   He wrote a book called “On Writing” where he talks about how he went from two railroad spikes full of rejections to being one of the most prolific NYT bestselling authors ever.  He tells all the good and bad of his experience and gives amazing advice for improving your craft.  There are many books out there to help you become a better writer – take some advice from authors who have been there.  One piece of advice from many authors: keep writing.  The more you write, the better you will be at it.

3. Register a Domain Name. Sorry, I had to sneak a book marketing one in! The age of a domain name directly relates to where it shows up in search engines.  If you’re still a couple years away from finishing your book, that’s ok!  But register a domain name for your potential pen name now.  Bonus points if you register it and start a blog documenting your journey as a writer.