Learning does not stop once you have your diploma. It is a continuous process of evolving in gaining more knowledge or else you might be left behind. You need to keep yourself constantly updated since the competition out there is quite tough. You have to constantly re-assess your capability, your strength and weaknesses and do something about it. If you think, you’re lacking in some areas of your capability then, you better find time to improve on that part, such as your ability to communicate.

Most of budding writers in a hurry to submit or post their works, forget the most important part of the process in publishing---Reading the guidelines.

In any form of publishing whether its in electronic form or printed form, the first thing to do is to read the guidelines. The guidelines will tell you;

Many people wondered how I become a writer. I myself at first was also at loss. I have always been in-love with books, fascinated with people, places, cultures and events. I have encountered words, big words as I go along unending essays at school. But never in my remotest dreams that one-day I’ll be a writer.

Romancing words was beyond my notice. I learned the figures of speech but they didn’t move me, left no impressions. I was brought up to be practical, surrounded by cousins involved in math and sciences, and family friends who are very much into business.

As an author, and someone who knows a bit about PR, book promotion is the most important thing you can do for your book.

All authors know this (and if they don’t, they better hone up on some book promotion skills), and go through various book marketing strategies, hoping they hook onto the one that will turn their book (or eBook) into a bestseller.

While we all know that appearing on Oprah is the key to becoming an overnight sensation, not all of us have that opportunity, especially those who are published in electronic format.

I’m re-printing below, a slightly revised version of an article which got featured in WritersWeekly.com as a Success Story, round four years back (December 17, 2002 to be exact) when I had just started freelance writing. It’s my personal reply to the question, “How do I know if I’m really meant to be a writer?” It can even be applied to the perennial question, “How do I know my real purpose in life?”

What a time to be a writer! There are so many opportunities to make money off your main skill – writing, of course – that all you have to do is choose. And one of the hot items on the freelance writing menu right now is blogging. Although it entails a lot of work and patience, earning from blogging is entirely doable.

"There, Miss Jones, there they are -- the bones that walk!"

"I doubt you very much, Smythe.  Why, I see nothing more than bare white bone.  Where are the tendons, ligaments, or any other connective tissue?  Where, I say!  Why, there's not so much as a shimmer of ectoplasm connecting THOSE bones.  They float, perhaps -- They Do Not Walk."

Some weeks ago, I started freelance writing again and finished writing three feature articles for two publications. In the process, I have learned or, perhaps more accurately, re-learned a few things. The gist of what I "re-learned" is that writing features consists, at least for me, of stages. In this article, I will share with you these stages of writing as I re-discovered them and also share the things that I have "re-learned" during these stages.

Procrastination

Around five years ago, in 2001, after a video business with friends went bust, I was trying to come up with other ideas to generate income. I had decided to look in the field of my truest passion, writing. But how? I tried scriptwriting for TV but wasn't lucky enough to be given the opportunity. So I was looking into other types of writing for inspiration. Finally, I realized that the answer to my problem was just under my nose, just waiting to be discovered.

Writing entered my life while recovering from a head injury.

I began with trepidation to journal of the losses encountered in the pain and inability to return to who I had been prior to the accident. These first journals became my screams from a place that I resided in, separated from the world. All former achievements and talents, interests, and friends were gone into the muddled thinking that replaced my former self. I was unaware at the time, I was beginning a new journey that would take me full circle.