I received this email from a new FundsforWriters reader. I have paraphrased it a little bit to avoid showing her history.

<<First, I love your site. I can’t wait to continue exploring all of the valuable information that you have. I am a new writer not yet published. I have read so much material (books, articles, blogs), you name it, about the craft or writing. Some of them try and convince me that I will write a great novel in 90 days. Others imply that self-publishing is the only way to currently get published. I honestly feel like I am swimming in TOO MUCH information.

So, I guess my request would be an article helping new writers maneuver through the slush and read what we really need to get started. I hear your voice, “That is too broad a topic.” Probably so, but if you could just highlight a few that would help.>>

My response:

You are right. That is too broad a subject. But you are also right in that there is too much information. It’s amazing how many people publish how-to without the teeth behind the lesson. They are more known for their how-to than their actually doing.

But also, no two writers step into the profession with the same tools or need the same tools. Decide what you want to write, then read other books/stories like it, and write over and over and over, amassing the thousands of words that give you the catalyst and know-how to improve. Only don’t push to just count words. Push to make each story, each page, each paragraph, better than the last.

Tune out the advice you do not need. Many fear they will miss some nugget of advise that will make all the difference. You cannot begin to read it all, and attempting to will only muddy the waters. Besides, not all of it applies to you. A ton of it does not apply to you. Much of it applies to the moderate, average writer, too. I assume that’s not what you want to be, Pick your own narrow road and stick to it.

But when it comes to writing, you study the successful in the genre you prefer. To me, it’s that simple.

And it comes to publishing, you decide which method suits your lifestyle, not the amount of money you will make. Again, it’s that simple.

I chose not to self-publish. I chose not to publish with a Big 5 publisher. I chose the writing life I live, and I believe it shows. You can do the same when it comes not only in learning how to write, but in how to publish, and how to live the life of a writer.