Stay Away From Shoulds
There are a lot of shoulds in the writing world. You should write a certain way. You should pitch a certain way. You should publish a certain way. Only, “a certain way” is never just one way. One cursory glance online and you can see a million different “right ways”. Every one of those authors, coaches, publishers, agents, editors—even readers—has their own version of “the right way”. What, as someone trying to navigate these stormy seas, should you do?
Chart your own course. It’s a cliché, but the longer I’m in the writing business, the more I see its value. Yes, it’s good to learn what others are doing—I’d argue it’s essential to learn what others are doing. But that’s not the same as deciding that what others are doing is your own step-by-step guide. There are simply too many “right ways” to succeed (or fail, for that matter). There’s no replicating another writer’s success. In fact, there aren’t even “best practices”. That would infer there are better ways than others to accomplish something.
But that ambiguity may feel like you’re still drowning in these rough waters. So start with something you do know, or something you are interested in learning about. Start with your craft. Start with what you love—writing. Focus on building the best story you can write. That may look different from other people’s practices—or it may look the same. Regardless, it’s about finding out what works for you.
Sometimes clichés make for the best advice.