An Excerpt . . .


Published odds of writing and selling a first novel have been predicted as high as one in a million. But how could anyone make such a calculation? It's actually nothing more than an educated guess. For a beginner without a writer's education who writes without regard to the needs of publishers and believes that exceptional writing skill is the only essential factor, perhaps such odds are reasonable. But how does this apply to you? The more seriously you approach the process, the more you learn and prepare for your eventual goals, the more dramatically the odds may shift to your favor. Through the mere act of reading this book you increase the odds drastically. Even if you choose not to heed my advice, you have at least been exposed to a portion of what lies ahead. Every writing conference and workshop you attend turns the odds in your favor just a little more. Every meeting of your writers' group increases your odds. Every novel you read, every critique you receive from a qualified source, increases your odds so significantly that your goal becomes more and more within the realm of possibility.

If the odds of writing and selling a first novel are truly one in a million, what are the chances of my being personally acquainted with more individuals who have done just that than I can count? First novels are published every month. There's no reason why yours can't be one of them. Publishers have no choice but to publish newcomers; after all, today's best-selling authors won't live forever. What are the odds of your obtaining a law degree and becoming a successful attorney? If this happened to be your goal, and you were willing to make the commitment, you could probably do it. What are the odds of your becoming an engineer, an architect, or an accountant? Why hasn't anyone calculated the odds of success in those professions?

A mystique surrounds the writing profession. The masses appear to view it as one of the more elusive and eccentric professions. Hopefully, you now see it differently. If you apply the same effort toward your writing aspirations that you would apply toward establishing yourself in any other career, the odds won't be nearly as overwhelmingly against you. Play it smart. Do what it takes, and you've got a reasonable chance.