1. Make the Commitment
1. Writing can be your profession, but it will take more perseverance and effort than you think.
2. Most people don't get to do what they love for a living. If you don't think you can be a professional writer, you're right. If you think you can, you might be right about that too.
2. Give Yourself Time
1. Becoming a professional writer doesn't happen overnight. (It took me seven years.)
2. Set realistic goals, and strive to attain them. (Finish the story or the novel. Then think about selling it. Give everything five times longer than you expect.)
3. Write, Write, Write!
1. Writers write every day. It's what they do. (If you don't like this part, you're not going to be happy as a writer. A lot of writers don't actually enjoy writing.)
2. Work on craft. Remember that there is always room for improvement.
3. Set up challenges for yourself. (Here's one that I used to participate in: write a short story a week and send it to a magazine or anthology. Keep all the stories in the mail (i.e. if they are rejected, send them immediately to another magazine). If you can do it for a year, you'll make a sale.)
4. Network (get advice and help from other professionals)
1. Attend writer's workshops (improve your craft).
2. Meet and talk with editors, agents, and publishers at conventions and conferences. (Editors who have a face to put with the name on the story are more likely to buy the next one.)
5. Never Let Rejection Stop Your Career
1. Keep sending stories and novel proposals out. (I have over 300 rejections.)
2. Remember that editors are people with likes and dislikes. Just because one didn't like your story doesn't mean the story won't sell to another magazine.
3. Focus on the story or novel you're writing at the moment; don't dwell on something that's in the mail.
6. Learn from Mistakes (and use them to your advantage)
1. If an editor has specific comments about your story, pay attention. (He or she may be right, but don't change the story unless you agree.)
2. Don't ever write a vengeance-motivated response to an editor or agent who has rejected your work. (Editors' comments are not meant to be taken personally, but often they are.)
3. Write only what you enjoy. (That's novels and short stories for me.)
7. Learn the Business Side
1. Set aside time for writing. (I cut my day job to part time.)
2. Set aside time for marketing your stories and novels (mailing, reading, researching, etc.).
3. Short stories are a good introduction to novels, but they don't pay the bills, even if they sell.
8. Remember Your Commitment
1. Don't ever quit!
2. Remember your time frame and redouble your efforts.
9. Jump on the Breaks
1. Learn to recognize potential breaks. (I got the Talisman story "Coiled in Dark Amber" because I seized the opportunity and followed it up with good work.)
2. Put all your energy toward making the BIG sale. (I got my first novel sale because I bombarded the company with novel proposals until they liked one enough to give me a shot.)
10. Always Look Ahead
1. Selling one novel is not a writing career.
2. Unless you're making a very comfortable living writing exactly what you want, there's room to improve your career. (I'm not there yet.)

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