Top Five Underrated Pieces of Advice for Authors
“My biggest discovery was that you can literally re-create your life. ”
1. Show up for yourself. If you don’t show up for you, how do you expect other people to? Writing is a commitment, and if you keep flaking on your own dreams, why should anyone else take them seriously? Get into the habit of keeping your own promises—to write, to edit, to improve. Discipline isn’t about waiting for motivation to strike; it’s about doing the work even when you’d rather binge-watch your comfort show for the hundredth time.
2. If you’re not in a constant state of learning, you’re not in a constant state of growing. Writing isn’t a static skill. If you think you know everything there is to know about storytelling, plot structure, or character development, congrats—you’ve just stunted your own growth. Read craft books, analyze stories, experiment with your prose. Every great writer is also a lifelong student.
3. Get yourself some brutally honest readers. I cannot stress this enough. I call them my beta/alpha reader haters—because, whew chile, they do not hold back. And you need that. You need people who will tell you, “Hey, this scene? It ain’t working.” or “Your pacing is dragging like a broken wagon wheel.” A solid critique group will catch your blind spots and challenge you to level up.
4. Be open-minded. When I finished my second draft of When Blood Meets Earth, a reader straight-up told me they would DNF (Did Not Finish) my book. And let me tell you, I was HEATED. But after I swallowed my pride and analyzed why they felt that way, I realized… they had a point. So, I studied. I read. I researched. I went through eight rounds of developmental edits until I had a book I was proud of. And now? My epic sapphic fantasy won Best Fantasy in the Indie Lit Awards. The moral of the story? Listen to your readers—yes, even the haters. Sometimes, you’re too close to your own work to see the cracks.
5. Enjoy your journey. It’s too easy to compare yourself to other authors. You see their bestsellers, their awards, their massive followings, and you wonder, Why not me? But what you don’t see is the years they spent grinding—sleepless nights, failed drafts, marketing struggles. Most indie authors don’t get their big break until five to ten years of consistent effort. So, instead of agonizing over where you aren’t yet, embrace where you are. Enjoy the process. Keep going. Your time will come.
If you enjoyed this article. Please comment. Share with me your thoughts. What is some underrated advice that you think more authors should know? Maybe there will be a part II! Also, check out my novels: Supersized Bubblegum and When Blood Meets Earth. Until next time, keep writing!
