Michael D. Britton

For a fiction writer, the road to success is paved with rejections.

Lots of them.

Lots and lots and lots of them . . .

Over the years, I’ve received hundreds of rejections.  Did I ever get discouraged? Of course not.

Developing a career as a fiction writer is a long road that takes diligence, determination, patience, and a thick skin.

It also is a constant process of learning and practicing and developing your craft, while also gaining an understanding of the publishing business.

Unfortunately, there’s no “fiction writer” major in college. Sure, you can get a degree in literature or English, you can take creative writing courses, etc. But that just won’t prepare you for the real world of a fiction career.

Fortunately, there are well-established fiction writers out there who are willing to “pay it forward” – to teach the next generation the ropes and help them move closer to their goals while taking advantage of their wisdom and experience.

I am fortunate enough to know two such writers: Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch. These two excellent writers – excellent people – are a large part of why I’m here today.  I’ve attended a number of awesome workshops that they’ve taught, and I keep up with their blogs.  The things I’ve learned have been invaluable and advanced my career in leaps and bounds.

One of the most important things I’ve learned . . . I’ll touch on in my next blog post.