5 Lies We Were Spoon-fed About Writing

The lies society conditions us to believe can be truly damaging to a writer’s career. It’s time to step out of the limited mindset about writing and publishing and dream big, go all out, and reach those goals. Synova takes us through some of the common myths about the publishing industry. How many lies have you believed? It’s time to change those limiting beliefs.

#1. “Self-published writers aren’t good enough to be published traditionally.”

False! Many traditionally published authors struggle to make a living on the puny 30% royalties of their books and find the 70% self-published royalties much more appealing. I, for one, was traditionally published first and realized I could do better on my own. I made 100x more money and now am running a vanity publishing house of my own. And I LOVE IT!

#2. “A professional writer only writes.”

False! To be a successful author, one must learn marketing, selling, public speaking, and much more. Whether you are published traditionally or independently, writers must market their own work. A publishing house will not do it for you. The more you can learn about marketing, copywriting, and business, the better career you will have.

#3. “You have to spend years being a starving artist before ever finding success.”

False: Once you have your work published, an author platform built, and a willing audience, you don’t have to be a starving artist. Don’t use this as an excuse to quit. Instead, study, retool and get back in the game!

#4. “It takes a year or more to write a good quality book.”

False! Once you get into the habit of writing daily, the words will come easier. It took me years to finish my first book, and now I release 2-3 a year. Some authors even publish another book every 90 days! I haven’t reached that point, but it is possible to write a good book in less time than you realize.

#5. “You have to have perfect grammar to be a professional writer.”

False! Unless you have a doctorate in English, you probably don’t have perfect grammar. It’s ok. Do the best you can with what you have and then hire a good editor. Do you think all those celebrity’s books started with perfect grammar? Most of them don’t even write their own books, and then they hire editors.

#5. “Don’t post any of your writing online. Guard it with your life because someone will steal it.’

False! Although there are some unscrupulous characters out there, no one will steal your writing. I was told early on that I had to copyright all my work before I submitted it anywhere. So, I did what’s known as a “poor boy copyright” and mailed everything to myself. Nowadays, everything is electronic. When you start typing up your manuscript, it is time-stamped by the device you’re working on, whether it’s a computer, a laptop, or a smartphone.

The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published!

Want to get published and paid for your writing? Let Writer’s Market 2020 guide you through the process with thousands of publishing opportunities for writers, including listings for book publishers, consumer and trade magazines, contests and awards, and literary agents—as well as new playwriting and screenwriting sections. These listings feature contact and submission information to help writers get their work published.

Beyond the listings, you’ll find articles devoted to the business and promotion of writing. Discover 20 literary agents actively seeking writers and their writing, how to develop an author brand, and overlooked funds for writers. This edition also includes the ever-popular pay-rate chart and book publisher subject index!

The amazon links on this page are affiliate links and Synova receives a small commission from your purchase. This commission goes to maintain this website and blog. With your help Synova will continue to provide free writing tips and tricks on her blog for aspiring writers world-wide.