Be Independent: Own and Drive Your Own Writing Career

I’m a bit of a Grinch when it comes to holidays, but this July 4, American Independence Day, it feels like we have some things to reflect on. Also, as we still grapple with the losses and unknowns of our COVID pandemic, there are many things to celebrate.

So in honor of July 4th, here are my top four tips for beginner writers and, yes, all of these relate to forging your own independent path as an author.

Be Independent: Own and Drive Your Own Writing Career

1.  Courage: It takes courage to go to that deepest part of you to put some words on a page. So as a writer, you better have some courage or go out and get some. Now, baby steps here. Push yourself to do one daring thing each week, to write beyond your comfort zone or your fears. Or submit your completed work to a new journal. Or dabble in a new genre.

2.Commitment:  Writing has to take priority in your life. Or at least place it among the top three things that really matter to you. You will never advance your writing career if you keep letting other things or people eclipse it. 

3.Write what you can:  If you can only manage 200 words before work or on your lunch hour, then that’s what you do.  Yes, the 12-hour writing marathon is great if you can manage it or tolerate it. But most of us cannot. So write what you can—and give yourself credit for doing that.

4. Run away from your life.   I go on writer's retreat a few times per year, and it never fails to jumpstart my love affair with the written word. By immersing myself in the work, I also get a lot of writing done.

Enjoyed this post? You may also enjoy these two posts: Big American Anniversaries and “Writing and Courage.”