1. Don't ever deviate from submission guidelines (i.e. Don't give a publisher an easy reason to reject you.).
2. When signing a contract, make sure a publisher is getting first serial rights only, not buying/owning your story.
3. When soliciting an agent, do not include glitter with your query letter or send it in a pizza box.
4. Do not query two agents from the same publishing house.
5. When networking, consider that a successful author's opinion is VERY IMPORTANT!
6. Contracts: Understand what you are signing!!!
7. Butt in chair.
8. Your character has to WANT SOMETHING!
9. 8 deadly words: "I don't care about any of these people."
10. There is no magic prescription for writing well, there are only tools and techniques in your toolbox. Try all the different tools in your box.
I Write, I Edit, I Write Again. Witness!
We're Making Better Words, All of Them, Better Words.
I Write to Burn Off the Crazy.
A Good Day Writing is a Day Writing.
It Puts the Words on the Page or it Gets the Hose Again.
Just Keep Writing, Just Keep Writing; Writing, Writing, Writing...