Jane Yolen has written 400 books (maybe more by the time you read this) and I have written 1. Does that mean that she is smarter than me? Does it mean that she uses a better computer than me? Does it mean that she uses better pens and pencils than me? Maybe.

What else could explain the difference in writing output?

The answer is that she writes regularly, usually everyday. I don’t. I’ve talked about writing for decades and have actually written very little.

So how does one move on and compete with Jane? Easy. Beginning today, I’m going to be writing. I’m not going to tell you how much I’ve done each day. No one cares. I will mention when I SUBMIT something to a publisher. It might take weeks, months, or years.

The journey begins.

[By the time I submit one book, Jane will probably be up to number 425. Good for her!]

1. Do not blame anybody for your mistakes and failures. ~~Bernard Baruch
2. Switch your point of view. Would that make your story better?
3. You can re-start your life right now! If you weren’t a writer yesterday, you can be a writer starting right now!
4. Life begins every second. Don’t waste time thinking about it, start writing.
5. To be creative, you might want to do things the un-techie way (for example, postcards instead of emails).
6. Start your next short story by writing the last line first.
7. Go for perfect! Book writing has never been easier. Years ago, when I had to change a word I had to re-type (with a typewriter) the whole chapter.
8. Can you tell your “story” using a series of pictures (with and/or without captions)?
9. Try writing a short story that incorporates a line from The Story Starter.
10. Follow less, lead more (especially on Twitter and Facebook).
11. Watch less TV and write more.
12. All of the writers on the best sellers lists had (and probably still have) the same doubts as you.
13. Read a magazine you never read before. It’s full of ideas for writers.
14. Starting a sentence with an “ing” word is a great way to start.
15. Whenever you want to say “someday” substitute “today” and you’ll do better.
16. Many procrastinators masquerade as writers. If you want to be a writer write. Period.
17. Gardeners will tell you that you have to be patient to see the fruits of your hard work, sometimes it takes years!
18. Get an almanac! Read through it when you have time. You might (probably will) come up with article ideas.
19. Fine writing, like fine wine, doesn’t happen over night.
20. If you can write a 5 paragraph composition, you can write a magazine article. Same thing, just a bit longer
21. Does your character transform for the better or worse? What would happen if you switched it?
22. You can learn more going to a place you’ve never been than spending hours online. It must be the air!
23. Going to the movies is nice, reading a movie script gives you a sense of how the story comes together.
24. To learn how to write, study gardeners, photographers, poker players, pizza makers, etc. Learn from everyone.
25. Just like the tango, it takes TWO to write: one writer and at least one other person to read. I’m not big on writing for myself.