I attended a continuing session with Chip MacGregor entitled From Wannabe to Published Author. Below are some of the highlights from that presentation. In depth information on these notes can be found on Chip’s website.

Remember: THERE IS NO EASY WAY TO BE A WRITER.

There are 30 things a writer needs to make a living.

1. A place to write

2. A time to write

3. A project

4. A writing calendar

5. A filing system

6. A contact list

7. A to-do list – done nightly and started at the bottom on Friday night

8. What do I want to do with my writing in the next 90 days

9. One year goal

10. A bio that reflects who you are and shows your writing ability

11. A sense of yourself

12. A growth plan

13. A critique group

14. A writing friend

15. A mentor

16. A protégé

17. A writing budget

18. Strong proposal skills

19. Familiarity with the publishing business

20. A sense of the market

21. Ability to talk about self and writing

22. Ability to sell self

23. Ability to negotiate

24. Ability to participate in marketing

25. Friends in the publishing industry

26. Succinctly talk about book and concept

27. Thick skin

28. A sense of humor

29. A sense of perspective – writing is part of life, not life itself

30. Read Chip MacGregor’s blog