The Top 3 Questions From Aspiring Writers

My second-grade teacher gave me an assignment that changed my life. I didn’t know it then, of course, but I’ll never forget it or her. One day, she brought in a little stack of blank hardback books and told us we could write a story about whatever we wanted. Simple, really, but I was immediately hooked on the limitless possibilities of storytelling.

(5 Pieces of Common Writing Advice You Should Absolutely Ignore.)

After that assignment, when people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer was always author. I spent every day after that assignment working toward that singular goal and I’m proud to say I’ve now been an author for a decade. I absolutely love living this dream.

One of my favorite things to do beside storytelling is chatting with readers and aspiring writers. There are common questions that arise naturally when discussing how to get into the publishing industry and I’d like to share the top three questions that come up most frequently.

Firstly, congrats on the idea! You might not think so but having an idea you feel passionate enough to write about is a huge accomplishment, so you should be proud of that. Now, the real fun starts. I advise writers to grab a notebook, a tablet, a Google doc, or the notes app on their phone—whatever works best for them—and to start sketching. Not illustrating (I can barely manage stick figures) but sketching out the world your story is going to be set in.

Sketching is where you add the details that will bring your idea to life—names, character traits, conflict ideas, etc. Organize it in any way that makes sense to you but dig deep and allow yourself to fully envision the world you’re wanting to create and the story you want to tell. For my most recent novel, The Never List, I started with my main characters. I made sure to track the details of each character—what they looked like, smelled like, the way they spoke, their general demeanor, how they interacted, etc.—and then went on to the world building and conflict from there.

These details will help you when you go to write your pitch, which is the next step in the idea process. Writing a pitch can seem daunting, but in these first stages, keep it simple. Think about where you’d like to see your book on shelves in bookstores. Is it in the romantasy section? The thriller section? Is it in self-discovery?

Wherever you see it sitting is where you’ll do your research. Read widely in that genre while also checking out the back cover copy to get an idea of what’s grabbing readers’ attention. A catchy hook with what’s at stake for the main character and a possibility of how they might overcome obstacles usually is a great starting point! Once you have these core details down, it’s time to start writing your story!

I think every writer has been in this situation before and we all have different ways of coping with it. Overwhelm and burnout is prevalent in the author world, and I believe that’s directly tied to how emotionally taxing our stories can be. When writing about characters with complex emotions and placing them in high stakes situations (whether fantasy, contemporary, or nonfiction) it can be taxing on your own mental health.

If you don’t find your own personal balance, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and want to give up. And even if the story is exciting to you and doesn’t take a toll on your emotions, writing an entire book? That’s a huge undertaking any way you swing it.

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Whenever an aspiring writer asks me this question, I always lead with the importance of setting limits for yourself. Don’t try to compare yourself to other authors because we’re all different and have our own unique systems for writing. I have author friends who can only write after sunset and then just as many who prefer after sunrise. I have friends who dive into a blank Word document and the story flows out of them and then others who must plot meticulously or they’ll never get a word out. Some of my friends have a goal of 500 words a day while others have goals of 5,000. It’s not only unfair to try and compare your process to other authors, but it’s a sure-fire way to kill the motivation your idea gave you in the first place. Plus, it’s unnecessary. You have to find what works for you.

I usually tell writers to set small, achievable goals in the beginning. That can be 500 words a day, one page a day, or even a thousand words a day depending on how you’re feeling. Shoot for those small goals in the beginning stages until you find your rhythm. If after a couple weeks you’re in a groove and can write more, go for it! If not, I always say any words on the page is a win, even if it’s a paragraph.

And if you have no words on any given day, that’s okay too. Don’t feel discouraged (it happens to all of us). Give yourself some grace and know that some days getting words on the page can feel like pulling teeth while other days you’re on fire and look up and suddenly three hours have passed and you haven’t stopped typing. Sticking to the small, manageable goals almost guarantees a daily win, which helps you stay motivated and avoid overwhelm.

On the days you do feel overwhelmed? Take a step back. Listen to music, read something just for fun, and do some self-care. This will help you reset and get back to work the following day. And soon all those small, manageable goals you’ve hit every day will eventually turn into one huge accomplishment—a completed manuscript!

This is a popular question. Because after you’ve done the work—the sketching, plotting, staying consistent, editing, and more editing—now what? If you want to be traditionally published, you’ll need a literary agent who can sell you novel to the bigger publishing houses, which means querying (basically pitching the agent your amazing work!).

My journey with literary agents has spanned a decade and I’ve had three. I got my first literary agent after receiving over a dozen rejections on a young adult paranormal novel I’d been pitching. She was amazing, but her author career took off and she was no longer able to represent me, so I had to go back to the querying trenches.

This time, I had only a half-dozen rejections before I paired up with another agent. Unfortunately, the business relationship didn’t work out and I had to part ways again. The third time really was a charm because I’ve been with my current agent for over five years now and I couldn’t be happier. It took several tries, countless rejection letters, and over three manuscripts before I finally found the one, but all the waiting, working, learning, and growing, was absolutely worth it.

Not every author has these struggles when on the hunt for their perfect pairing, but it’s worth noting that the right literary agent will be excited about your work, highly communicative, and clear about their intentions. Rejection letters are tough, but I always tried to view them as signs that we weren’t going to be a good fit as business partners. And the right partner is beyond worth all the stings rejection brings, so don’t give up! There’s a home for your story.

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