“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that,” Stephen King wrote in his memoir, On Writing. When I hear from aspiring authors they don’t have time to read, I think about Stephen King’s observation. The likelihood of publication plummets when a writer doesn’t read. It IS that simple. As a developmental editor my responsibility is to tell it like it is. I am not a cheerleader or psychotherapist. I am not going to tell you what you want to hear. I am going to tell you want you need to hear if your goal is publication. Writers NEED to read. When I hear a writer tell me she doesn’t have time to read, I know the writing will reflect that fact. If you don’t read, how do you know someone hasn’t already written your book? How do you know how to write a book if you don’t study them? Can you tell the difference between a good book and a great one? Study them as works of literary art. Study them as products in the marketplace. Study them from a reader’s perspective. If you want to publish a book, consider reading your job. You need to read widely in your genre and deeply in your subject. Study the writing craft found in the classics in the subgenre. Observe the conventions specific to this subgenre. Notice what expectations readers bring to books of this kind. Keep up with…

Recently I finished teaching a six week workshop where one participant asked a tough question that has haunted me. “What shouldn’t I do as a writer? What mistakes can you help me avoid making?” I stumbled through an answer. I like to focus on the positive things writers can do to improve their writing and yet the question was a legitimate one. And in my line of work I’ve seen a lot of mistakes. So I thought I would share a short list of do’s and don’ts. Know your genre Many writers suffer from genre confusion. Fictional memoir doesn’t exist. Knowing your genre is important because bookstores need to know where to shelve your book. As a writer, it’s even more important because each genre has its own literary conventions. Within the genres of romance, mystery, thriller, suspense, and science fiction there are well-defined subgenres. Know precisely where your book fits because readers bring certain expectations to each. There are lots of love stories, but not all of them belong to the genre of Romance. Know your reader There is no “general reader.” Have you ever gone into a bookstore and library asked for a book that could be for anyone? No, me neither. Write with a specific audience in mind. Read I often hear writers say they don’t want to be influenced by what they read. Do artists avoid museums and galleries? Do musicians surround themselves with silence? Do you know any chefs who ignore their passion for food?…

Agents and publishers in their submission guidelines often ask for a list of comparable titles. By identifying these books, they can estimate the size of the print run and a P&L (profit-and-loss statement). Identifying the current books on the market which serve the needs of your readers helps you with the business of being an author and your bottom-line, too. The comparative title analysis identifies the authors who reach your readers. You will want to get to know them. And their readers. And your best strategy is to pay it forward. The books you read and consider comparative titles in your proposal are ones you should write a thoughtful review and post it on GoodRead or Amazon. Authors read these and so do readers. If you want your book to be reviewed by readers, then you need to review books your readers are reading now. Consider this a form of guerrilla marketing. On Amazon and GoodReads you can meet your tribe of readers. Get to know your customers and what they like and dislike about the books they are currently reading. How can you write a better book to fulfill the expectations and needs of readers? Perhaps you want to write book reviews for publication in a journal, magazine, or newspaper. For example, if you write for women and hope to publish your own work one day then you might consider spending a year becoming a book reviewer for Story Circle Book Reviews. If you write nonfiction and belong to a professional…