I want a magic bullet.

Many of us do. We don’t want to admit it, but we secretly think that somewhere there’s one thing we’re missing and when we find it, all our publishing dreams will come true!

Right?

In my quest for the elixir of publishing success, several years ago I had a rare opportunity to do some extensive research. I got to hang out with four published authors as they wrote, brainstormed, and it must be said, consumed copious amounts of coffee and loaded grits.

I tried to act cool about it. (Heavy emphasis on the word act, because I’ve never been cool in my entire life). But secretly, I was watching. Surely over the space of several days, one of them would slip up and reveal the source of their publishing power.

First, I thought it might be related to coffee/caffeine consumption.

Truth be told, this crew didn’t hold back. I made the mistake of ordering a medium iced vanilla latte. Poor thing looked like a waif surrounded by the very large, iced, sugar-free syrup laden concoctions ordered by my new friends. But, and this is a big but, one very prolific and successful author not only doesn’t drink coffee, she doesn’t even drink caffeine! She consumed water and decaffeinated tea. So much for that idea.

Then I started watching what they ate.

If you’re seeking publication, I can safely say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Lunch, however, can be ignored in favor of a pan of fresh brownies. Unfortunately, their meal selections were too varied to give me a clear picture of that one super food that will inspire creativity and ensure success. (Word to the wise…try omelets and/or grits. It can’t hurt!)

I thought I might need the right technology.

Mac or PC? Nope. Both were represented. iPhone or Galaxy? Sorry. Can’t help you. I saw it all, and it seemed to be working fine for everyone. Which was disappointing, because I was hoping to use that argument to score a MacBook. Sigh.

Then I wondered if the key is in genre selection.

Again, no. If I could have put text bubbles over their heads, all manner of voices, time periods, and scenes would have floated in the air. (I considered crafting a tinfoil hat in hopes of absorbing the creative vibes in the room, but, as previously noted, I was going for cool, not supernerd).

I confess that when I said goodbye to my new BFFs, I felt a tad frustrated. I’d spent hours with them and not one of them had slipped up. There’d been no peek behind the wizard’s curtain.

Or…had there?

I’d watched four writers, sitting in recliners, on couches, at tables. Writing. Every last one of them. They did it for hours. During the day. Late into the night.

They wrote.

If you’re not-so-secretly searching for the magic bullet that will ensure success, look no further.

I already found it.

Just write.

Do you have a specific amount of time you write every day or a specific word count you try to achieve? We’d love to know what your magic bullet is in the comments below.

Grace and peace,

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy—but her grown-up reality is that she’s a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations—while she’s sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas!

The second book in her Dive Team Investigations series, In Too Deep, released in November. She is also the author of Beneath the Surface, Hidden Legacy and Covert Justice, which won the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel and the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense.

She lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after at www.LynnHBlackburn.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.