Dear Readers, Read the following articles. They have helpful info. The 5 Differences Between Professional and Amateur Novelists There are some crucial differences between the professional ones and the ones who want to be professional. These are the five that I've noticed during my career. Click to continue.

Call for Submissions: What Makes Your Writing Group Work? Are you a member of a helpful and creative writing group? Do you meet with fellow writers to share your work, receive thoughtful feedback, get a boost of inspiration, and hang out with others who love the craft? We'd love to hear from you! Click to continue.

Don't Give Up Until You've Queried 80 Agents or More The other day, a writer friend asked for my advice in dealing with all pesky rejections in the query stage. I asked how many agents she had queried. "Forty," she said. "Well, then you're halfway there." I wasn't trying to be flippant, but if you are serious about getting published, then don't even think about giving up until you've queried at least one hundred agents. Really. But there are a lot of caveats attached to that advice... Click to continue.