Thread by @Joannechocolat

Today's #TenTweets, by request, is on the subject of THINGS ALL UNPUBLISHED WRITERS SHOULD KNOW. Follow the hashtag to collect them all! #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

1. Being published is neither the only way to enjoy writing, nor necessarily even the best one. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

2. Being a published writer does not necessarily equate making a fortune, or even, in most cases, making a living. Most first-time writers have a day job, and many will never give it up. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

3. Your word count is irrelevant. 300 good words are far better than 300,000 bad words. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

4. Your paper qualifications are irrelevant. They may have helped you grow and develop your craft, but no agent or publisher will be swayed by the fact that you have (or don't have) an MA in Creative Writing. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

5. Studying the market is irrelevant. By the time you have identified and attempted to follow a trend, it's over. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

6. If you're aiming to be traditionally published, you need an agent. You may not think so, but you do. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

7. No-one *owes* you a chance, a reply, a reading, feedback, or even a minute of their time. Those that do give you those things deserve respect and gratitude. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

8. Take rejection gracefully. Agents and publishers talk to each other, and people who push back, argue or bitch on social media are unlikely to impress anyone. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

9. Self-publishing is not an easier option than traditional publishing. If anything, it's harder, because to do it well, you have to provide all the services that a traditional publisher would have provided for you. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow

10. At this stage, marketing strategies, elevator pitches and other attempts at self-promotion are irrelevant. All you need to be published is to have written a publishable book. #TenThingsAllUnpublishedWritersShouldKnow