@BisbanoWrites

Do you remember the excitement and fear when your first book, article, or blog was published? I’m not a nervous person, but my stomach did cartwheels as the release date of my article drew near. Who am I to write about writing? Will people like it? Will they think I’m a fraud? Willthey even read it?

I began my writing journey four years ago. My first published article was titled, The Top 5 Truths I Learned as a New Writer. I was new to writing, I didn’t know the word protagonist.You can laugh, I’m smiling now. I did have the guts to ask the meaning of this word during a class with bestsellingauthor Cecil Murphy. I prefaced my question with, “Forgive me, but I’m a new writer.”

“No need to ask for forgiveness, we all must begin somewhere,” Cecil said.

He did not laugh. He gave me the definition and much more. As I gleaned from him and other writing royalty at the 2014 New England Christian Writers retreat, I learned a writer’s life is one filled with rejection, hope, anda calling.

I am confident that my writing career would have fizzled out if I didn’t pray and apply these timeless truths.

Expect rejection: Thick skin is a must in the writer’s life. Jerry B. Jenkins, Cecil Murphy, and Stephen King, along with many other well know authors, will testify that rejection is inevitable. When I received my first rejection, after I pitched my book to a prominent agent during lunch at Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference, I wasn’t shocked or dismayed. I found my friend Lori Roeleveld and we high-fived. She said, “one rejection closer to a book contract.”

There are reasons for rejection like the agency doesn’t represent that genre or the agency already has a similar book. Please don’t assume your story doesn’t matter. If God called you, he will find a home for your work at his time and place.

Attend conferences: Conferences are the best palace to learn and network. I sharpened my skills and gained new friends. Please don’t let money be an issue. I acquired a scholarship for my first conference and made extra money to attend others. You can gain more ideas with this article P.L.A.N. to Attend a Conference. Think of it as an investment in your career.

Writing is a job, not a hobby: The most successful writers treat writing as a job and schedule time to write. I homeschool my special needs son. I write for fifteen minutes while he does his first class. I can write up to three pages in one sitting. So, I no longer have an excuse.

Always learn: Conferences, college courses, along with books on writing are great ways to sharpen our skills. There are many free online courses. Writing blogs have great information. This blog, Jerry B. Jenkins blog, and Cecil Murphy’s Writer to Writer have helped me immensely. I learned aspects of how to write a book proposal, POV (point of view) and how to build my website from YouTube. Just search, clickand learn.

Read: I don’t have time to read if I write, I thought to myself. I learned that all successful writers like the Portuguese Nobel prize winner Jose Saramago and Stephen King state that reading is mandatory for the writer. Bestselling author and writing instructor, Jerry B. Jenkins states, “Writers are readers. Good writers are good readers. Great writers are great readers.” Read books in your genre. I schedule a timeto read with my son and on my own.

Since I first wrote this list three years ago, I’ve been rejected countless times. Yes, it hurts, but I know it’s part of the publishing process. I eat a small piece of chocolate and move on.

I continued to apply these timeless principlesand was asked tobe managing editor of an award-winning website, a submission reader, junior literary agent, and faculty at a few conferences. I now have the honor and privilege of helping other writers sharpen their skills through my book proposal and coaching business. I could not achieve any of this without God, a thick skin, and help from those who invested time inmy career.

Over the last four years of asking authors, I found I am the only writer, so far, who did not know the meaning of a protagonist. Yes, I’m still laughingat myself. God does make each of us unique.

Which principle do you find the most difficult to practice? What truth would you add to the list? Join the conversation below.

Cherrilynn Bisbano is the founder of The Write Proposal book proposal services.

As managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.

Cherrilynn is a speaker with Women Speakers. Her topics include leadership, book proposals, and the Bible. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Southern Writers, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Christian Voice, Refresh and other online magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to Selah-nominated Breaking the Chains, Heart Reno, and Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles books.

Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.  She lives with her sixteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 20 years.

Cherrilynn loves Christ, chocolate, coffee, and cats.

Follow Cherrilynn on Twitter: @bisbanowrites