If the information is vital to the character—if it affects them or their world—it will also matter to the reader.

Like a recipe, it might sound fun to throw a bunch of spices into something, but what often happens is that the flavors become muddled and indistinguishable. A sign of a seasoned and skilled chef is restraint -one who makes few ingredients shine. Likewise, a skilled author will highlight their most important characters, being sure not to pollute the pages with unnecessary information or names.

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.

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.

No one prepares you for the emotional roller coaster that follows submitting a manuscript…

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.

New writers seeking advice and guidance, often place too much authority in the advice of experts. Read on to learn about the pitfalls of expert advice…