| You've done it. You've gone and written the next | | | | and ultimately living with him after he left prison. It |
| Great American Novel. Shockingly, some dolt at a | | | | was a solid novel and a good read. When I |
| publishing house has actually recognized your | | | | completed it, I slapped it up in the used section on |
| brilliance. This is it. The big time! There's only one | | | | Amazon. Guess who purchased the book from |
| problem ... nobody is buying your novel. | | | | me? Yes, the author. It was cheaper for her to |
| Write it and they will come. Okay, that's a take | | | | buy her own novel from me used on Amazon |
| off of a certain baseball movie cliché, but | | | | than from her own publisher! Welcome to the |
| it is just as true for writing. The most | | | | business of writing. |
| misunderstood thing new writers don't understand | | | | Writing your novel is obviously a huge step in the |
| about novels is writing them is only the first step. | | | | revenue generating process. That being said, the |
| You might write the piece de resistance for the | | | | modern publishing industry is a cutthroat one. You |
| decade, but it doesn't matter if nobody knows | | | | must be a good writer, but you also must learn |
| about it. | | | | to market your material. Most publishers are not |
| Will you get rich writing? Well, you will if you are | | | | going to make a massive effort. It is you who |
| the next Stephen King. Most writers obviously | | | | must do this. It is you who has to get out and |
| don't make it that far. Yes, you can make a living | | | | work the book signings. It is you who needs to |
| writing, but you are sadly mistaken if you believe | | | | show the world one way or another that you've |
| the glamorous image of a writer's life that is often | | | | written a masterpiece. More than a few great |
| portrayed in movies and such. I'll give you an | | | | authors have died penniless because they could |
| example. | | | | not master this simple idea. |
| I read a marvelous travel book written by a | | | | Writing a novel takes ability, passion and technique. |
| young lady who had traveled to Costa Rica. She | | | | Just keep in mind the job is not done when you |
| ended up falling in love with a man in prison there | | | | finish the writing process. |