by Catherine L. Tully

What is the best writing advice you ever received?

I’m sure the answer is different for each of us. For me, the following pieces of advice were very helpful in the beginning of my career:

+ Try not to use exclaimation points.

+ Show don’t tell.

+ Use adjectives sparingly and choose them carefully.

Later in my career, the advice that helped was geared more toward finding work. For example:

+ Cultivate clients. Go back to them again and again–and overdeliver. Having a few select clients is better than having to find new ones all the time.

+ Keep an eye on your web presence.

+ Think about what you are putting out there on the web–it reflects on you as a professional.

These pieces of advice helped me greatly. I didn’t really know much about this career field when I started–so everything was news to me. Some people come in with experience–some don’t. Either way, I am of the opinion that we should pass along what we know to one another. Help each other out. After all, it’s tough out there.

So here goes…

I’m putting out the call to you. Can you share a piece of advice that might help a newbie writer get a foothold? Or a nugget of wisdom that will turn the lightbulb on over the head of an intermediate writer? Share one here today.

And may good karma come back to you tenfold.