Pitfalls Keeping You From Becoming a Successful Published Author

"If you want to know your future, look at what you are doing in this moment." a Tibetan saying

Values
What motivates the writer, need or desire? What is important? What is the right way to live? Values and boundaries create a life full of integrity and a high self-esteem. Values and boundaries can prevent external conditions from defining and controlling writer's lives. Keep the positive attitudes that work and let go of the negative beliefs that prevent success.

Plan
Failure to plan is a plan to fail. Goals are good, but knowing why those goals are important. This gives purpose, order and meaning to the daily tasks that can become monotonous. Purpose also prevents writers from reacting to circumstances and creating opportunities.

Sabotaging
It is one thing to set goals, but not taking enough action to turn a goal into a reality will ruin opportunities. Businesses write a SWOT, a chart of strengths and weaknesses. Clever writers prepare a plan for themselves, never loosing sight of their own strengths and weaknesses, acknowledging both. Acknowledge both fears and weaknesses. Be honest, take responsibility, set goals, and allow yourself to succeed and fail.

Opportunity
Opportunity does not knock, it whispers. Too many writers spend time on writing a novel, writing articles, blogging, etc., but they do not spend any time on creating something to sell. This happens because they do not go out and look for opportunities. Yes, a time will come when a writer can turn down all but the best assignments, but waiting patiently for a prime assignment across the desk - it will never happen. When a person focuses their attention on making things happen, instead of just writing and hoping they will happen, then they start learning how to hear opportunity's whisper.

Beliefs
The quality and content of a life is determined to a large degree by the beliefs that determine the actions, reactions, and goals of the individual. If a writer believes they will never get anywhere, they never will. A person with no goals will never reach them. Published writers, famous authors and those who are living the life they desire are those who believe in their goals. Look carefully at what you believe. It is not hard. A writer who believes they can be published is one who is published after a very short time. A writer who believes they have as good a chance as anyone, and are waiting for fate or luck, remains unpublished.

It is Only a Hobby
This type of self-defeating statement is the one reason why many writers are never published. A person who writes is a writer, whether they are paid, published, or just starting. Claiming that writing is just a hobby, when the goal is publication, is just another method of escapism. Trying writing, and if it works, then great, and if it fails, then no one will mind the time wasted on the hobby. The problem with this thinking pattern is that it keeps the writer from taking chances, risks, and looking for opportunities. They find themselves in a rut, joined by a safe group of like-minded writers. No one rocks the boat. No one forces the group out of their comfort zone. And, the years pass away. Everyone supports each other, celebrates their minor achievements, and is happy, as long as no one ever asks what is beyond the group boundaries.

Discipline
A discipline is something done for the sake of the discipline. It can be anything, exercise, meditation, or writing. Select something and do it each day. Success comes when a person maintains the discipline, even if they do not feel like it. Time is made when there is no time. Pages are written between doses of flu medicine. Articles are finished when the family is at the beach enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon. This does not mean that writers can have no fun. It just means that if it is time to work, then work, do not procrastinate. Too many writers fail because they do housework instead of blocking aside a certain number of hours to write, and then focus on writing for those hours.

Learning
All professionals are expected to upgrade their skills. Graphic artists, sales people, computer programmers . . . and writers. Learning has two sides. The first is the actual study. The second is implementing the new skills learned until they are mastered. In our Internet, self-help, culture, it is easy to learn new skills. But, people have forgotten how to implement the theories taught and turn the new skills into cash. This is the entire purpose of this Topic, to give writers the skills needed to succeed.

In Love With The Writer's Life - Not Wanting The Responsibility
Setting goals, networking, all job search activities take practice, and, when a writer approaches a publisher it is a job search. No one would just walk into an office tower and ask for a job. But, writers are always submitting articles and novels to publishers, without knowing what those publishers want. They assume that if a publisher handles romance or science fiction novels, then they will take any novel. Many writers do not even think it is important to read new releases to see if their manuscript has a market. These writers grow tired of rejection letters, and find a safe place to practice, learn, and play, but never work. These writers are in love with the idea of being a writer, but they do not want the responsibility of becoming a published author. A publishing company needs team players, not another Prima Donna.

Suzanne James