One of the books I've read lately is Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz. I really like this book. It discusses how to use your personal strengths to grow an author platform. And it's actually something that we can start thinking about now so I highly recommend the book if you are serious about a career as a writer.
One thing I that really struck a chord with me is the fact that I am 100% responsible for the success of my writing career, 100% of the time. There are so many things that I can control in my quest to become the best writer possible. Yes, there are things I can't control such as the market and what's selling and what's not but my job is to write the best book possible, then find the right agent or publisher for it. If I've done the writing part correct, selling will take care of itself.
James Scott Bell wrote a post on The Kill Zone about this very thing not long ago. Check it out when it get the chance...and if you write mystery or thrillers, then add this to your favorites list. They have a LOT of great info.
My thought for the day is...decide what you want from your writing. Do you want that brass ring, best selling novel or will you be happy with a small press or even self-publishing? Set some goals. Then, make your writing a priority.
Set a daily word count quota as mentioned in the last post. Then stick to it. Figure out when your best time to write is and set an appointment with your computer and write. Tell those who would distract you that you have to write. Don't let the day to day things rob you of your writing dream.
