Monday, November 8, 2010

15 "Must-Haves" before Submitting

I write and submit nonfiction articles as well as picture books.  Writing can be challenging—publication even harder. But I’ve discovered that the process is easier when I have the following:           

A comfortable chair
A room with plenty of light 
Silence  
Coffee, chocolate, or any comfort food
The will to let the answering machine pickup
Passion about my writing
The drive to read my work out loud 
A first reader to point out mistakes or to make suggestions
The resolve to edit my work to perfection
An understanding of the market 
A grasp of the submission guidelines
An irresistible query letter, one page
Patience as I wait for an editor’s response
Tough skin if I receive a rejection
Perseverance to submit again

What "must-haves" do you need when you write?

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