Ten Things Every Unpublished Author Needs to Know

I don't claim to be an expert, but after writing for well over twenty years, I've discovered a few things that I wish someone had told me when I decided I wanted to be a writer. Hopefully, some of these can help you. 

1. At one time, all of the authors who've written all of the books you've read and want to read were new writers. So don't beat yourself up over your mistakes.
2. Rejections aren't life-threatening. You will overcome them.
3. Not everyone wants you to succeed. It's a sad, unfortunate fact of life. Take the knowledge and be prepared.
4. Just because you can self-publish a book doesn't mean you're ready to self-publish a book.
5. Good grammar and a great editor. If you don't have the first, the second should also be accompanied by an excellent proofreader.
6. How to network. Word of mouth is by far the greatest way to sell books. You shouldn't wait until your book is released to start promoting it.
7. When it's time to move on to the next novel. You can overwrite a book. Don't spend so much time on one novel that you lose precious time writing your next one.
8. How to promote without coming across as pushy. Read books on marketing and promoting. Follow some of your favorite authors on Twitter and Facebook to see how they do it.
9. Understand that not everyone will love your writing. Reviews that aren't favorable are a fact of life in this business.
10. When to turn off the computer and focus on life outside the book.  There is no scheduled day you have to finish the novel you're writing. So don't set unrealistic goals. Enjoy life while you're writing so you'll still be able to enjoy life as a writer.