8 Steps from Amateur to Pro Writer

Every author starts out as a hobbyist. We write as kids, for fun. As we get older, we write when we have free time or the fit takes us. For many, that’s as far as it goes, and there’s value in that.

But for others, over time, our writing passion grows. Chances are, if you’re reading this blog, you’re looking to take the next step and become a professional author. Here are 8 changes you should make, in no certain order, to level up your writing to pro status.

1. Make Writing a Priority

This one is kind of a no-brainer, but it’s hard to do because we have other responsibilities and activities that are important. Paying the bills (working a day job). Parenting. Developing friendships. Bingeing Stranger Things for the third (fourth?) time.

Life is busy, full of non-negotiable duties and fun stuff that steal our time. But the truth is, we make time for what’s important to us.

Pros prioritize writing. This requires a reshuffling of our To Do list. It may mean jettisoning some things completely. Because only when writing is a priority will it get the time and attention needed to take you to the next level.

2. Practice Patience

The fact that you’re reading this post shows that you recognize the importance of honing your craft and acquiring new skills. Research, learning, application…these all take time.

But once you decide to pursue writing as a career, there’s a natural temptation to escalate the process. After all, this isn’t like other jobs; no one’s monitoring your progress and deciding when you can take the next step. There’s no hierarchical ladder that must be climbed. It’s just you, your computer, and the Publish button.

Patience is a defining characteristic of professionals because they recognize that becoming really good at something doesn’t happen over night. They know that positioning themselves for success takes time. So don’t just focus on the end result of publishing the book or hitting a certain sales milestone. Dedicate yourself to growth and improvement. Respect the journey, and resist the urge to skip steps along the way.

3. Seek Out Criticism (and Be Able to Take It)

I’ve got an eighth-grade son who loves music. He plays multiple instruments but is focused mostly now on the bass clarinet. Recently, he entered a Solo and Ensemble competition, where students perform a piece of music for a professional adjudicator and are given a grade of Superior, Excellent, Good, etc.

I sat in on his performance and was able to listen to the judge’s feedback. I thought Dominic had done very well, so I was surprised to hear the judge offer so much criticism. I kind of wanted to punch her.

Walking out, I said to D that he’d unfortunately pulled a tough judge, and we would just hope for the best. I got my second surprise of the day when my son said he was happy to have gotten this adjudicator because her helpful feedback was going to make him a better player.

Sure, the score mattered (he got a Superior, by the way), but D recognized that if he wanted to become a premier player, he needed to improve his areas of weakness. And he couldn’t see what those weaknesses were. None of us really can. It takes other people to point them out.

If you want to become better as an author, you have to get helpful feedback. Critique partners and beta readers, writing coaches and editors—there are so many knowledgeable people in the industry who can help with this. But they won’t come to you. To become a superior writer, you’ve got to seek them out and be willing to take their feedback.

4. Become a Perpetual Learner

Becoming a pro takes time because there’s always more to learn. New writing methods and techniques, emerging technologies and software (A.I., anyone?). Marketing, bookkeeping, business strategies . . . Pros know that writing, as a career, is always in flux. If you go into it with the mindset of a lifelong learner, you’ll be able to adjust and won’t get steamrolled when things change.

5. Approach Writing as a Business

This is one of the toughest mindset shifts to make because we love the writing so much. We have this image of ourselves as successful authors, sitting in our office typing or scribbling away day after day. And while I would argue that writing is the most important thing, there’s so much more to becoming a pro.

To get there, we have to view writing as a business. Yes, success requires researching and drafting and revising. But it’s also setting up a bank account and ordering checks, filing annual taxes, building a brand, marketing our products, hiring people to do the things we can’t or don’t want to do, creating and maintaining a website, figuring out which distributors to use to sell your books and familiarizing yourself with their platforms…

Oi.

It can be overwhelming because we don’t want to do all that stuff. We. Just. Want. To. Write. Can’t we just write?

Well . . . no. Professional writers do plenty of writing, but they’re also building a business. And all the other stuff is part of that.

This goes back to #4. Broaden your mind and accept this fact: to be a professional, you will have to learn all the things. You don’t have to become an expert; just look at me doing Angela’s and my finances (/shrieks). It’s not easy. It’s definitely not natural, and sometimes it’s not pretty, but I do it because it has to be done. Embrace the lifelong journey of learning these tasks (or learning to outsource them), and you’re on your way to being a pro.

6. Learn to Set (and Meet) Deadlines

Have you heard the (very uplifting) saying that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions? Well, so is the road to becoming a professional author. Intentions won’t get you there. Once we prioritize our writing, we have to set goals. And goals need deadlines because without them, it’s easy to get sidetracked. Setting reasonable timelines for your objectives (and sticking to them) will increase your efficiency and help you get more done in less time.

This tip may seem obvious, because many writers are used to setting goals and deadlines for their writing (1,000 words per day, 3 day per week, complete the first draft in 6 months, etc.). But deadlines can also streamline other parts of the process to keep you on a professional track.

Continuing Development

• Read 2 craft books this year
• Attend a conference next spring
• Take a course on story structure

Planning a Novel

• Limit planning and researching to 3 months
• Schedule an interview with XYZ expert before January 10th

Publishing

• Query 2 agents each week in the month of August
• Research formatters and hire one (3 weeks total)

Business

• Set up a corporation or other business by the end of Q2
• Find software or a service to track book sales (February)
• Create a storefront at your site for direct sales (2024)

Marketing

• Draft the back cover copy this week
• Decide on a launch event for the next book (summer of 2024)
• Experiment with Amazon keywords in April and July
• Approach 4 podcasters about being a guest on their show (3 months prior to launch)

Setting deadlines for our objectives is crucial. Need help with the goals themselves? We’ve got some posts for you on Writing a Business Plan and Creating a Publication Deadline for Your Next Book.

7. Value Collaboration Over Competition

I don’t know why this is, but we tend to view other people in our space as rivals. We have to be better than them, outdo them, and—Heaven forbid—don’t help them because they’re our competition!

But professional writers realize they don’t corner the market on talent and savvy. The people in their industry who are killing it? Pros want to work with them instead of against them. So pros seek to share knowledge, funnel customers to other writers’ helpful resources, offer to help with someone else’s book launch, promote their course, etc.

Why? Well, because it’s nice to help our fellow humans, and kindness has a pretty good ROI.

But pros also know they have a lot to learn (again, with Point #4—I’m seeing a pattern here). Partnering with the people who have done all the things and are doing them well can shorten their own learning curve. They also know that while they could do the job alone, it’s easier, more efficient, and typically more enjoyable to do it with others.

8. Build Resiliency

Look, those of us who’ve been writing any amount of time know it’s a tough gig. Feedback from critique partners and editors is never what we want it to be. Rejections are more common than acceptances. We get stuck creatively. Other people are writing up a storm or improving by leaps and bounds, and we feel like we’ll never be any good . . .

Sometimes professional writing feels like a middle-school dodgeball game. You’re just getting hammered.

When you get knocked down—by discouragement, industry changes, the jerky internal editor, whatever—keep getting up. Call a writing buddy to commiserate, then get back to work. Take your dog for a walk, then get back to work. Get some coffee, a pink drink, or a jumbo-sized bag of chocolate, then get back to work.

Because even though you haven’t achieved your goals yet, you’re a pro now. And pros are in it for the long haul.

Before You Go. . .

Have you signed up for the Storygarden Summit?

We’re partnering with other industry experts to bring you a garden full of bookish help, taking you through the process of outlining, editing, publishing, and selling.

On Day 2, I’ll take you through a treasure trove of first-page tips so your story’s opening hooks agents, editors, and readers from the get-go!

This summit is very affordable – $5/pay-what-you-can. It runs from March 19th to the 22nd, and you’ll see some top-notch speakers.

Browse the schedule to get an idea of what topics will be covered.

I hope to see you in my First Pages session on March 20th at 4 PM EDT. Hinty-hint, I might have some sweet discounts for our books and One Stop for Writers subscriptions for you!

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