Are you a writer?

If when you wake up in the morning all you can think about is the story you are writing or the next story you want to write, you ARE a writer. I adapted that from a statement made by Whoopi Goldberg in Sister Act 2.

So what are you doing about it? Are you actively writing? That’s the only way to truly become a writer. Keep writing and re-writing until you are satisfied with what  you have written.

Here are a few tips:

Write something every day- even a page or two.

Read every book you can put your hands on in your chosen genre.

Link up with other writers and don’t be overly sensitive to criticism.

Hone your language skills. Review the grammar and language arts skills you learned at school. There are books to help writers with the mechanics of the language.

Get editing help if you need it BEFORE presenting  your manuscript to a publisher. There is nothing more off-putting to an editor than poorly presented copy.

Search the Internet for sites which can give you information on your areas of weakness.

If self-publishing, be sure to have the work edited by an experienced editor.

Learn how to submit to agents and publishers. In the Caribbean the process is usually quite informal. Check publisher sites for submission guidelines and follow them.

Happy writing! I am hoping to see more Caribbean children’s books published in 2011