If, after careful analysis, you have found that your book is somewhat unconventional, it’s still possible to publish, but to pitch it properly and win over agents and publishers alike, you must first understand your intention to buck trends and then convince others why this choice is marketable.

It’s a challenge to interrupt the creative flow to take care of the physical self. But if you look at it this way, optimal physical health equates to optimal cognitive endurance, perhaps these small measures won’t seem as challenging to integrate into your routine.

Reading books on technique while you have your story in mind allows you to think about your work differently.

Receiving feedback gets easier but I don’t think anyone would describe it as a pleasant or comfortable process. However, it is a necessary part of producing good work. If you feel yourself struggling, just remember, the end goal is to create a fantastic story you can be proud of.

The gestational period of story ideas is exciting. One after another, ideas seem to sprout like weeds, and often, you can’t get the ideas onto paper quickly enough.

What is your 'why' for writing? Understanding your 'why' deeply will help fortify you against the challenges accompanying the long writing journey...

Make peace with wherever you are in your writing process because there is beauty in it all. Sure, there’s plenty of crappy parts, too, but that’s the balance. The problematic parts make us appreciate the fun parts, and the fun parts give us hope that the problematic parts won’t last. The “now” is all there is, so do your best to embrace it.

Now that summer is coming to an end, it's time to start developing an effective writing routine this fall...