A group question was sent out...

What advice would you give new, upcoming authors?

This was my answer:

Learn your craft. Read what you want to write. Know your genre. Write. Write. Write. Find someone who will pick your work apart. They don't have to be nasty about it. Listen to them. My first MS went through a lot of editing. It was rejected, not because the book wasn't any good but because my query letter was horrible. My first rejection was on the query letter. There are sites that offer help writing them. I entered the story in a contest. The judges advised I learn about POV. They were right. I re-wrote the story; approximately half of it was new. I asked for more help from professional authors. I submitted the first three chapters and was asked for a full MS. I thought I wanted to write with this publisher. As the months slipped by, I was doing my homework on the publishing companies. I realized I did not want to work with this publisher. I was grateful when they rejected me. I talked to other authors, and one recommended a company they wrote for. I did my homework and wanted to work for them. I queried and was offered a contract. I thought I'd grow more comfortable with each book. I haven't. Each one is a terrifying, frustrating, hair-pulling experience. I have sacrificed social activities, television, reading, sleep, and eating. The royalty checks are not compensation; they are testament I'm a professional, an extremely poorly paid professional. Give up writing? Sure, when I give up breathing.