What I Know Now

I was just asked by a fellow writer, "What's the one thing you wish you had known before you began writing?" My first thought was, nothing. I was blissfully ignorant of what it required to write a book. I might not have even given it a try if I HAD known. But that said, on further reflection, there are two things I wish I'd known. #1. You don't need a college degree to write a book or get published. Even if you wanted to publish a book about getting a college degree, you still wouldn't need one! There are lies we tell ourselves (I'm not young-pretty-rich-smart enough, etc.) and we need to stop it! Stop it right now! What you need is desire, perserverance, talent and dedication. There is no college degree for that. I'll add one more thing here. You have to write. Let me repeat that louder. YOU HAVE TO WRITE. Enough said. #2. There is no secret handshake. Honest. I'd tell you if there was. There is no one you have to know or be friends with to publish a book. This is called "kidding yourself." You have to do the work, do it well, and keep doing it. Sounds simple? It ain't. And now that I've spouted off for the day, I'm off to find out what happens when my heroine comes face to face with a woman who just might be her--oops! Can't tell you...