When I started writing for publication, I repeatedly heard three "absolute must dos."

Years later and many published works, I have my own opinion about those MUSTs.

<strong>#1 Write what you know.</strong>
First, imo, writing what you know is <del datetime="2012-09-24T19:14:44+00:00">easy</del> lazy writing. I’ve done it, you’ve done. Who hasn’t?

BUT, we live in the technology age. These days you can research anything without leaving home.

Or looking at it another way, we write fiction. We can make it up!

It’s been my experience, as long as my reader can suspend their disbelief and buy into my story I don’t have to be an expert about what I’m writing.

I will qualify my opinion by saying that IF you write about what you know and what interests you, your story is more likely to come alive for your reader. <del datetime="2012-09-24T19:16:41+00:00">Good</del> Sound research can produce an engaging story too.

So, don’t limit yourself to what you know. Explore. Be adventurous. Be creative. Research.

<strong>#2 Don't write to market.</strong>
Indie publishing has blown this MUST out of the water.

On the other hand, if you write to the traditional publishing market, you might want to AVOID market trends.

By the time a manuscript is ready for what is currently trending, that trend may have died. Big Six publishers take too long from contract to reality in a bookstore. Do you really want to spend weeks, months, even years writing a book that won't sell?

BUT if you’re considering indie publishing or e-publishing, I suggest you keep your eye on the marketplace. <a href="http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/" target="_blank">Publishers’ Marketplace </a>offers deal news which is an indicator of what’s coming out.

Subscribe to the free lunch edition of Publishers’ Market place or spring for a paid subscription to the Marketplace. Check regularly to see what’s trending.

Then if you need a story idea, you’ll have plenty of ideas. You might find one that appeals to you and will likely be most saleable.

<strong>#3 Write the best book you can.</strong>
This one is absolutely, positively TRUE.

What sells a book or an article or a paper is <strong>CONTENT</strong>.

Agents and editors reject mediocre or unsellable submissions. Reviewers and readers will post bad reviews. So write the best, most creative, most marketable manuscript or article you can. ALWAYS!

I wish I could promise that you follow these MUSTs you’ll find success. I can’t.

There are two other elements.

Only one of my early advisors – New York Times bestseller <a href="http://www.joannross.com/" target="_blank">JoAnn Ross</a> -- was honest enough to share this illusive element of writing success.

<a href="http://www.commentsyard.com/"><img src="http://www.commentsyard.com/graphics/good-luck/good-luck43.png" alt="Good Luck Graphic #43" width="353" height="294" /></a>

Thank you, JoAnn

The other key element and critical MUST is
<a href="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/persevere.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1254" title="persevere" src="http://judythewriter.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/persevere.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="253" /></a>

So I end by wishing you luck because every author – aspiring or established – needs a boatload of LUCK and this perserverance quote from <a href="http://judythemorgan.com/writers.html" target="_blank">my website </a>writers’ resource page:

<em>You do not know what the next effort will bring because the future is not based on the past. That feeling of wanting to give up is based solely on the past, which really doesn't matter anymore. What matters now is where you're headed, not where you've been. And when you view it from that perspective, giving up is simply not an option.” ~~~R. Marston</em>

<strong>YOUR TURN:</strong>
What’s on your list of MUSTs for aspiring writers?