Goodreads asked Graeme Shimmin:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Graeme Shimmin First and most important: don’t give up the day job! It took me ten years to get published, and that’s not unusual. Even most commercially published writers have to teach writing to make ends meet.

Second, you have to realise the first draft isn’t the end. You need to write at least three drafts before you even attempt to find an agent or publisher. There will be at least three more drafts if they buy your book. Related to that: learn the rules of editing - you’re wasting every one’s time, including your own, if you send out work that has basic errors in it.

Third, keep learning and improving. Read all the classic examples of the kind of novel you want to write, buy books about writing techniques, do creative writing courses, join critique groups, online and in real life, and really listen to your feedback. Learning is the key difference between eventual success and ongoing failure in my opinion. Everyone always says not to give up, and it’s true that you shouldn’t, but you have to get better too.

Fourth, Network. Commercial publishing is a relationship business. You either have to know people or be extremely lucky if you want to get commercially published. How do you network though? Start with other authors. Support each other. Help each other. They move in the circles you need to get into.

Finally don’t give up. If you keep writing, keep learning and improving and keep networking, you’ll get published eventually.

flag