Cintia asked T.R. McClure:

I'm an aspiring writer, but I'm dealing with two things: I get discouraged every single day because 96% of manuscripts are rejected, and I haven't had an idea for years, literally. There's too many people wanting to be writers, and knowing there's so much competition just kills me a little every day. When I get motivated, immediatly something appears about the industry that kills it. Any tips on how to deal with this?

T.R. McClure Hi Cintia, It sure is easy to become discouraged as a writer. My first thought on reading your question is what motivates you to write? We all want to be on the best-seller list but I think there has to be more. Satisfaction as a writer can be found when you discover something about yourself you didn't realize until you wrote it down. And just like weight loss, small victories are satisfying. Write an article for the local paper, then a magazine. Every time you write you improve. Like any skill, writing takes practice and repetition. Look at authors you like. Their early works are often not as well written as the current ones. As far as ideas, I think it's important to get out in the world, meet new people, try new things, and read, read, read. Good luck to you!

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