My friend and fellow writer/UCLA instructor, Amy Friedman, whose essay “Kept Together By The Bars Between Us” was published in New York Times “Modern Love” column on Valentines Day (and believe me, this is a major literary coup to get your essay in that column!) sent some writer advice:

I always tell my students to follow Annie Dillard's wisdom, to post her words on their walls: Your feelings are none of your business – because, of course, some days you'll feel "this sucks, I'm the worst writer in the world, this is stupid, no one will ever want to read this, who cares what I think…" and other days you'll feel "Man, I AM good, this is brilliant…" and both are equally disconcerting…..and also her "buy books. buy hardcover books. If you want people to buy your books and read your books, get  your butt out there to the bookstores and buy theirs, and read them."  – Amy Friedman

Read Amy’s essay: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/fashion/15love.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

 And from the HARO response last month, here's more advice:

I have two pieces of advice for writers: 1) Invest in yourself. You may have been told all your life that you are talented but it is important that you’re also skilled, so invest in honing and broadening your writing skills. Being both talented and skilled will open doors to new opportunities and boost your confidence. 2) Learn how to market yourself. If you’re a book author, you are expected to promote your book so you need a plan of how you’ll do that to give to your publisher. If you’re a freelance writer, you must understand and use marketing strategies and tactics to attract assignments. It’s not unusual for the best marketer—rather than the best writer—to get the job.– Susan Carter www.writerprofits.com

One of the best ways to get unstuck if you’ve lost inspiration is to free-write. Start writing anything and everything that crosses your mind. Don’t edit. Don’t pause. Don’t think. Just write and let is flow with focus on speed and quantity. You’ll end up with some not-so-useful jibber jabber. But I can assure you it will get you out of your writing rut and get you on track to write some compelling, interesting content moving forward. I find some great inspiration in the shower. It’s something about the steam, warmth and solitude. You may find me writing on the shower door or furiously jotting down notes on a notepad following a hot shower. It clears your mind and brings all those great ideas to the surface.  –

Beth M. Cleveland  Elizabeth@elmpublicity.com |

The best advice I ever received about writing couldn’t be simpler:

            Write.

Sit your butt down in front of the computer and write. If you wait for inspiration or for the mood to strike or for the right phase of the mood, your place in the limited publishing queue will be taken by someone who is willing to put in the amount of time necessary to develop the craft.   – Barry Maher – author of Filling the Glass. He’s keynoted both the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and the Pikes Peak Writers Conference. – www.barrymaher.com    

Read widely in various genres so you're familiar with what's out there.  Re-read books you love and try to figure out what makes them work (i.e., characterization, plotting, pace, use of words?).  Experiment with writing in several genres.  The publishing world today is crazier than ever.  So being able to stretch your literary muscles may help your career rise and expand instead of stagnate.  Attend conventions and conferences and speak to agents and editors face to face.  Support local authors at their book signings and ask questions.  Write and keep writing.  Don't expect to sell the first thing out of the gate (or even the second or third).  Embrace opportunities that come your way.  You never know what might open that door for you (or keep it open!). –Susan McBride, SusanMcBride.com  author of the Debutante Dropout Mystery series 

(Avon)  THE DEBS young adult series (Delacorte), and forthcoming stand-alone novel,  THE COUGAR CLUB (Avon) 

Rejections from publishers and magazines typically have nothing to do with the quality of your writing. Thus, don't send your work to publishers to see if it's any good. Publishers reject our manuscripts for so many varied reasons (e.g., the acquisition editor doesn't like horror, doesn't believe financial books sell, knows their president mandated "no more young adult novels this year", hates first person narrative, hates second person narrative, etc.). All of us, even the best writers, get rejected over and over. You discover if your work is good, not by submitting it to publishers, but by distributing pieces to a wide variety of readers. I had my latest manuscript read by over 30 people (normal people, not professional editors). Many recommended changes. Some wished it were written differently. But enough really liked it to let me know that the book has its niche of readers. If the big publishers all reject it, I won't question my ability to write. Neither will I doubt the value of this book. I'll publish it and market it myself.

J. Steve Miller – http://www.freelancewriterblog.blogspot.com/