Cintia asked Adele Clee:

I'm an aspiring writer, but I'm dealing with two things: I get discouraged every single day because 96% of manuscripts are rejected, and I haven't had an idea for years, literally. There's too many people wanting to be writers, and knowing there's so much competition just kills me a little every day. When I get motivated, immediatly something appears about the industry that kills it. Any tips on how to deal with this?

Adele Clee Three years ago, I felt exactly the same as you do. Here is what I would tell myself if I could go back.

Focus on telling the best story you can. Work on your craft and forget about the bigger picture. Read. Read more. Make notes on why you FEEL something when you read a book.

When you’ve finished your story, it’s not finished. Edit. Edit. Edit. Read about editing. Listen to your story. Use a computer to read it back to you or read it aloud.

Negative thoughts will enter your head. Learn to ignore them.

Don't let fear beat you.

This is the best time to be a writer ... your options are endless, not limited.

Negativity kills your creativity. My best ideas come when I’m walking or when it’s quiet and I’m alone with my thoughts.

When you come to a point in your story and you’re stuck … don’t surf the internet or eat cake. Move to the next paragraph or chapter. You can always go back and fix what’s wrong. But don’t sit waiting for inspiration as it doesn’t always come.

Read The Successful Author Mindset by Joanna Penn … know that you’re not alone.

Set small goals that are achievable – 250 words a day soon mount up.

Concentrate on finishing your story. Nothing else matters. You cannot market and sell a book that isn’t finished.

Hope this helps.

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