Collaborative post – may contain affiliate links

When you love to write, it’s something that you’ll never not want to do. The passion can often start when you’re a small child. You may find yourself writing stories, copying out stories, and even just imaging different storylines. As you get older, you’ll probably love to write in school, to enter story competitions, and you may even study literature and creative writing too. But when you don’t continue to push your writing, and when you wait years to get started, you may feel as if it’s too late. But it’s not. You just have to start thinking about this a lot more, you’ll want to also treat it a bit like a business venture, and really aim to commit. Here are some of the things you can do to make that happen, and start to be taken more seriously too.

1. Building A Brand

To start with, if you want to get serious about all of this, then it’s essential for you to think about branding yourself. With a personal brand behind you, you’ll start to make traction online. Create social media profiles, start interacting with your readers, and showcase yourself as an expert in your niche.

2. Building A Website

Next, you may also need a website. Now, not every writer will have one – or need one, but if you are pitching to write online, then it’s essential for you to have a space to showcase your work. Here, you’ll want to bring your branding alive with great web design that looks professional. Then editors will take you seriously – because you’re taking yourself more seriously!

3. Networking

It’s also going to be in your interest to start networking. With other writers, editors, publishers, and by going to events. By interacting with those in the industry as much as possible, you’ll make connections, learn a lot, and maybe open new doors too.

4. Getting Repped

Then next move that you might want to make here, is to get an agent. If you are hoping to publish a book, then you will need to have an agent in order to arrange that book deal. Yet, getting a literary agent can be equally as complicated. Here, you will want to do your research and choose an agent that you feel will represent you well and be interested in what you write, and then look to wow them with your submission.

5. Doing A Good Job

And above all else, you have to remember that the proof is in the pudding! You can invest as much as you want into your website or your image, but if you are not a great writer, then it won’t matter. So practice your craft. Keep reading and learning and growing as a writer. And listen to any feedback that you get. It’s so important that you can actually write, that you have great ideas, and that you can tell a story that the reader will fall in love with. And then you will be taken seriously!