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A: I don’t think that one decides to be a writer. I’ve been a writer all my life. You’re a writer just like you’re a reader, or a painter, or a knitter. It’s something you do that satisfies you, makes you feel whole. Deciding to become an author, on the other hand, means that you commit to making a living from writing. To do that, you not only have to write (which you already know you enjoy), you also have to edit, network, promote, blog, connect, submit, apply, get rejected, take classes, join forums, and perform research, among other things. These are important to success, but aren’t always as fun as the writing itself, and a lot of effort goes into the process.

Q: When did you first decide you wanted to see your writing published?

A: Ever since I wrote my first real story in the sixth grade (a horror story about a swamp-lizard creature) I’ve fantasized about having my name printed in a book. This fantasy would immediately be followed with a “Yeah, but that will never happen.” My first positive, determined thought that I really did have a chance at getting published came after Karen Syed told me that she would be very disappointed if I gave up on writing. It took that wake up call to get me to commit to my goal.

Q: How long have you been working on this?

A: I’ve been writing fiction on and off for about fourteen years. I’ve been seriously dedicated to getting published for about four months. Wow, now that I think about it, it feels much longer than that!

Q: Are you sorry yet?

A:Some days are better than others. I just found out that one of my idols, Tamora Pierce, will be at my local library in a few weeks. That was a good day. Some days my website hits are up and people are commenting on my blog and accepting my LinkedIn invitations. Other days it seems like the entire world ignores me, and all I can do is beat myself to a pulp. On those days I stare at my blog, turn red with embarrassment, and say bad things about myself. I’m trying to get over that.

Q: What steps have you taken so far to transform your hobby as a writer into the committed (and not to the funny farm) struggles of an author?

A: When you write for fun, you can always give up. You can take a break for a week or a month or ten years, and no one will care. So I decided to make people care. I tell everyone I know that I’m working on a novel, which has given me a degree of accountability. I even went to a networking event for the Stanford School of Engineering with “Emerging Author” as the title on my nametag! Also, I try and write new fiction material for fifteen minutes every single day. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up. And I’m dedicating a lot of thought and time to the networking/marketing side of the equation, so that when I do become published, I’ll have a large market that already knows I exist and is excited to support me.

Q: What would it take to make you give up and quit your quest?

A: My first instinct is to say “Are you crazy? Nothing in the world will make me give up my quest!” However, I have a strong practical streak in addition to my creative streak. If I really, truly, could not find a way to support myself as an author, I would have to find a solution to that issue. I have no desire to be a starving artist. Even if that was the case, I would never truly ‘quit’ my quest – instead, my quest would evolve. I just read a great article titled “The 21st Century Writer” by Patrick Tucker. Patrick says that traditional publishers are publishing fewer and fewer books the old-fashioned way. So maybe I won’t be an author of a novel published using that method. But I’ll always have my blog, and my audience, and my network, so something good is bound to happen to me. I’m not going to tie myself to one particular definition of success.

Q: Where do you find the motivation to keep going?

A: I have this image in my head, based on my own experience. A young child (I’ll make her a girl in this case, but it could just as easily be a boy) lies in her bed with a flashlight, the covers pulled over her head. In front of her is my book, which she’s reading avidly. Her eyes glow and her heart races, and she’s so into the book that she can’t stop reading, even though her parents told her to turn out her lights hours ago. It’s hard being a child, harder than anyone gives her credit for, and the book allows her to live the life of someone besides herself: a warrior, a wizard, a queen. No one can take those things away from her. That vision keeps me going.

Q: Has anyone or anything been particularly inspiring or helpful to you in your journey?

A: All the teachers and professors I’ve had over the past twenty-five years. I’m not going to list them here, for fear of forgetting someone, but each one has had a unique impact on me. Karen Syed, who kicked my butt and showed me that I’m in control of my own destiny. Flylady, who keeps telling me ‘you can do anything for fifteen minutes!’ Jonathan Maberry, who drilled into my head the idea of online promotion. Chellie Campbell, who’s inspirational writings I read daily. And last but certainly not least, my wonderful Dino, who has more faith in me than I could ever wish for.

Q: And because everyone expects this one, what advice would you give other aspiring authors?

A: People are your greatest asset. Get to know as many as you can. Treat them well, care about them, nurture your relationships. There’s this idea of an author as someone who sits in a dark room secluded from the world and writes a masterpiece and makes a huge bundle of money. That happens very, very, rarely, and in the end, do you really want to be that person? The other 99.9% of us can benefit hugely from promoting ourselves, letting people get to know us, building our own brands. Even if you don’t end up as the author of a wildly successful novel, you are bound to find success in one way or another if you prove to the world that you’re valuable and worth knowing. And believe me: you ARE worth knowing!

Emma Larkins is an emerging author who blogs at her Emerging Author site about her journey as a writer seeking her place in the world, detailing along the way her thoughts on writing, publication, and promotion. She has previously published an article on the website Feminine Aspects.