Christine M. Knight
Advice for Aspiring Writers?
Take the time to craft your story. When you believe is it complete, send it to a professional editor. If you're in Australia, you can apply to the Australian Society of Editors and get someone who is a specialist in your genre.
Do not feel downhearted when your editor provides constructive criticism about your narrative or writing style. That feedback is essential to your future success.
Be open to editorial suggestions. Rewrite the relevant section of your piece to see if the suggestion leads to improvement. When considering the rewrite, decide if it enhanced the reader's journey or if it took the reader off course. If the latter, then feel free to reject the editorial suggestion.
When approaching a publisher, the etiquette is to offer the manuscript to one house at a time. Reading your manuscript has a cost to it in term of dollars and staff time.
Respond promptly to publisher requests. If you delay, you may not get another chance with that house.
Don't hassle publishers. I know the writer's anxiety to get published but you can turn off editors if you hassle them.
Importantly, you may dream of being rich and successful like JK Rowling but be aware that writers belong to the primary producer category. We make the least amount of money from the RRP. JK Rowling's cash flow from writing is the exception not the rule.
Take the time to craft your story. When you believe is it complete, send it to a professional editor. If you're in Australia, you can apply to the Australian Society of Editors and get someone who is a specialist in your genre.
Do not feel downhearted when your editor provides constructive criticism about your narrative or writing style. That feedback is essential to your future success.
Be open to editorial suggestions. Rewrite the relevant section of your piece to see if the suggestion leads to improvement. When considering the rewrite, decide if it enhanced the reader's journey or if it took the reader off course. If the latter, then feel free to reject the editorial suggestion.
When approaching a publisher, the etiquette is to offer the manuscript to one house at a time. Reading your manuscript has a cost to it in term of dollars and staff time.
Respond promptly to publisher requests. If you delay, you may not get another chance with that house.
Don't hassle publishers. I know the writer's anxiety to get published but you can turn off editors if you hassle them.
Importantly, you may dream of being rich and successful like JK Rowling but be aware that writers belong to the primary producer category. We make the least amount of money from the RRP. JK Rowling's cash flow from writing is the exception not the rule.
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