Man, there was so much advice I received on forums, writing groups and in person, but here are the prime tips that helped creatively without driving me nuts.
Before writing anything, hash out each character with a character profile.
A character profile is a very in depth synopsis about a player in your story. That includes a physical picture; it can be one snagged from the internet. A character profile acquaints both writer and character intimately. Some writers like the ‘explorative process’ with the book’s cast, but I found a character profile really helped me not waste needless time in my first draft; I explored early. The Snowflake Method breaks this process down further, which I found it to be very organized but still flexible.
Your first draft will be horrific. Have fun with it.
That means not worrying about your grammar. One can write whatever they want; even if it isn’t linear with the plot. Ham fist the first draft until the very end; that way when edits come, there can be fine tuning without regret. I was told that writer’s block was just a form of insecurity and if one already approaches the first draft as a failure, then you’re free to experiment.
Write Erotica.
Yes. You would not believe how many writers, famous or not, wrote erotica first. While writing naughty stuff may not be everyone’s cup of tea, doing so builds something most writers lack: confidence. If a writer can describe getting dirty in vivid ways that engage, and sells copies, clean prose isn’t a problem. Erotica writing builds flow, detail and great characters if written well. I’m primarily a science fiction writer, but writing erotica, getting beta readers, editors and publishing really helps in learning the authoring process. Plus, it’s fun!
When you finish a book, write another one.
It’s very rare that your first book will sell well. No one knows you, so you have to build trust by writing more. Even if they are small novellas, shorts or blog posts elsewhere, the point is to write as much as you can, publish and write more. Create a library of various works and let the readers stumble along.
Do not market your books, ‘gift’ your books.
Marketing terrifies creatives. I have to talk to people? Oh Jeez! Yes, but if you truly love your work, your natural enthusiasm will shine through. An author shouldn’t have to ‘sell’ anything; if they believe in their book, talking about it will be natural and the listener/reader will be curious since you’re excited about it. I love talking about my first erotica novel to friends and even family. Why? Because, in my opinion, it was an uncut version of Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, which was two steps away from erotica anyway. The characters weren’t some billionaire and his play thing, but real people with real problems and real desires in a space station.
Have a website, blog, a mailing list and social media up early. It’s best to show people you exist and there won’t be a mad scramble when your books get popular. Have everything prepped and just let the process work its magic
Last, don’t give up
Writing isn’t hard, but being noticed is. Many mentors suggested I don’t give up, get a job and let my creative world die in mediocrity. If you have a bunch of books in your head, write them. Even if they are bad, they can always be edited to be better.
I hope that helps. I’m new to the author world, but I do love it and it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.