There are so many writers out there that think they have to use prose, or write outside of their own voice. When you do that, you create something really hard to read. Never lose your voice.

Some people think that word count is important. It isn't. I've seen some writers not use contractions (do not, will not, etc.) to increase word count. This makes every character sound the same and it's unbelievable.

Be original. You'd be surprised how many ideas you can come up with on your own.

Copyright your work right before it's about to be published. Copyright.gov and 35.00 is the way to go.

Never freak out at negative reviews. To think that everyone will like all of your writing is actually egotistical. Accept it. You might even learn something.

Just because a well known author writes a specific way, doesn't mean it's correct. Use your own style.

I'm a stickler for continuity. The story should flow, without distracting the reader with continuity issues.

Finally and most importantly...writing is a tough career to really succeed at. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Prepare for working your body parts off, with little to no recognition at first. Never...give...up.

I guarantee, it will be worth it.