I love teaching at writers’ conferences because most of the writers who attend know that getting published is not easy. Just like most professions, writing takes time, education, and training. If a person applied for a job as a fitness instructor just because he or she enjoys working out, that person would not get the job without some training. Just because you enjoy something doesn’t mean you are qualified for that field.

I often get emails from writers who want me to critique their work. Some of it is very good, but most of what I see is not ready to send to a publisher. I see a lot of great ideas, but not a lot of great writing. Why? Because the writers haven’t taken the time to learn how to write for publication. Just because you can write a letter doesn’t mean you can write a book.

Now that I’ve got that covered, here are my suggestions for people who love to write and would like to pursue publishing.

• Choose your genre. No writer is good at everything so decide where your writing would best fit in. Do you want to write for children, adults, teens, nonfiction, fiction, or devotionals?

• Once you choose your genre, become a student. Read and devour best selling books in that genre. Choose books that have stood the test of time. Read them over and over so you get a feel for what the publishers are looking for. Read books or articles on writing for publication.

• Attend a writers’ conference. Learn. Learn. Learn. Writers’ conferences offer writing workshops as well as tons of information on writing and publishing. Most writers’ conferences allow writers to meet one-on-one with published authors or editors. You may also have an opportunity to have your work critiqued.

• Revise, Revise. Revise. No manuscript is ready for publication the first time it hits the paper. Be willing to revise over and over again. Joining a good critique group can also be helpful.

• Don’t give up! If writing and publishing were easy, everyone would do it. Remember the three P’s: Persistence, Patience, Practice.

If you love to write, keep writing and share what you write with others. Whether or not your words get published, you can still share them. One of my favorite memories is reading my children’s poems to a group of seniors at a nursing home. They were the best audience I ever had! You can volunteer to read your stories in the schools during “March is Reading Month.” You can share your journal entries with support groups. You can preserve your childhood memories in a “do it yourself” booklet and give copies to your kids or grandkids as a Christmas gift. There are many different ways God can use your writing to encourage and bless others.

Here’s to happy writing!

Crystal