A:      You have to do two basic things:  read and write.  Read voraciously, read widely -- not just books in the genre in which you plan to write.  Read well written books in a wide variety of styles and genre.  You can learn a lot about pacing from a good thriller, and a great deal about characterization from mainstream and literary fiction.  If you're interested in SF, you should be up on science and technology.  For fantasy, a strong background in folklore and mythology is helpful. Then there's research material on whatever related topics your project requires:  military history, weaponry, fighting techniques, heraldry, hawking, medieval culture and society, biotechnology, quantum physics, cat breeding, Elvis impersonators -- whatever.  Research aside, reading provides a framework of language and cultural context.  You also must write.  This might sound obvious, but a lot of people think they want to be writers who've never actually sat down in front of a blank computer screen and worked at it.  Writing is like singing or painting -- you can't learn to do it unless you DO it.  It's a skill that has to be practiced and developed. 

Make a schedule and stick with it.  Write every day, even if it's just a little.  Look at it this way: if you write one good page a day, within a year you'll have completed a manuscript for a 90,000 word novel.  Writing is both a skill and a craft.  You'll need to develop certain tools:  a strong vocabulary; a good grasp of grammar, a knowledge of manuscript formats and submission procedures, and a basic knowledge of the industry. One of the best how-to books I've come across is How to Write a Damn Good Novel, by James N. Frey. Many of The Writer's Digest books are helpful, and can be found in the reference section of good bookstores and libraries.  With the internet, information on the publishing industry is easy to find.  Almost all publishing houses have websites with all the information you'll need before submitting.  (See www.Ralan.com  for a comprehensive, up-to-date list of book publishers and magazine markets.) You may also want to read trade magazines, such as LOCUS, Publisher's Weekly, Writer's Digest, or Chronicle (formerly Science Fiction Chronicle.)  In addition to these paper magazines and their web counterparts, there are excellent online sources -- try  Science Fiction Weekly or sfsite.com.   

In summary:  a general response to aspiring writers

The last month or so has brought an influx of email from aspiring writers, many of whom ask variations of one or more of the following questions:

Can you read and edit my (as yet unfinished) work?

Can you pass it along to a publisher?

Can you tell me how much money I can expect to make (on a book not yet written)?

Can you tell me how to publish without risking criticism or rejection?

Yes, people actually do ask that last question, and more often than you might think.  The short answer to all the above is, "No."  Fortunately, there is usually another question, one that has an obvious if often overlooked answer: 

 

I want to be a writer, but don't know where to start. Any advice?

Absolutely.  If you want to be a writer, write.  Write to learn the craft.  Write because you enjoy the process. Write because you can't NOT write.  Write because you ARE a writer, and not because you think it's a quick and easy way to fame and fortune.  Have you always kept notebooks?  Dream journals?  Written long letters to friends?  If so, you're probably a writer, and may God help you.  If your motivation comes from an article in some magazine describing Anne Rice's lifestyle, you've come to the wrong place. I do not live in several historic New Orleans mansions, amass collectible dolls, or employ 30-some "angels" to do my bidding. I couldn't tell you how to achieve that level of commercial success. (Frankly, I'm not sure anyone can; otherwise, someone would have published the "The Idiot's Guide to Mega-Bestsellerdom.") What I CAN tell you is briefly outlined below.  

Don't worry about finding an agent or publisher for a work that has not yet been written.  Yes, you should know your intended markets and learn about the publishing industry, but your first and primary focus should be your writing.  A "good idea" is not enough to go on, yet many aspiring writers seem to believe that a good idea is all they need. They express surprise when agents decline to represent an unfinished project from an unpublished writer, or when publishers request a completed manuscript. Agents, editors, and working writers know that not all good ideas develop into good stories. That's worth repeating, in caps: 

NOT ALL GOOD IDEAS DEVELOP INTO GOOD STORIES. 

Agents and publishers are in the business of selling books.  It's not unreasonable to ask that you demonstrate your ability to produce the finished product, the real thing. 

Since this is the Q&A section, here's a couple of questions for you to ask yourself:  Why do you want to be a writer?  Is it because you love to write, or because you like the idea of a best-selling book with your name on the cover?  If it's the former, I'm always pleased to meet a kindred spirit and future colleague. But if you're looking for someone to take you by the hand and lead you painlessly and effortlessly along the path to bestsellerdom, rethink your expectations. If it was that easy to lock down the coordinates for that particular path, we'd all be Steven King.

Before you decide you want to be a writer, write. Risk putting yourself on the page. Risk exploring emotions you'd rather not allow into the light of day. Risk the initial rejections, the criticism.  Learn the craft of writing. Understand that a manuscript full of errors will not be read, much less published.  And once you get your mind around the fact that there's a long road ahead and a lot of effort involved, then we'll talk. 

Bob Salvatore frequently offers this advice to aspiring writers:  "If you can quit, quit.  If you can't, then you're probably a writer." How can you know possibly whether or not you can quit if you've never actually started? 

That's the sum of my advice on this topic.  Oh wait -- one more thing:  although I'm pleased that you're visiting this website, at some point you're going to have to get offline and go write something.

Best of luck!

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