For new authors the best advice I can give is to join a writers organization. I know how isolating it can be, tapping away on your keyboard for hours, weeks or months without anyone to bounce your story ideas off. You love your story, but that nagging thought, will the publisher, is undermining your confidence.

By joining a writers organization you will find like minded friends who not only offer encouragement and support but a wealth of knowledge. If they don’t have the exact information you need chances are they’ll know of someone who does. Or a webpage that covers it.

Many well known authors were discovered by publishers through competitions such as those organized by the Romance Writers of Australia.

My friends in everyday life are fantastic and I love them dearly but even they can grow weary of me talking about my novel. Not so the friends I have made in the groups I  belong to and I never weary of listening to or reading other peoples work.

Here are the web links to the two Australian organizations I belong to.

Romance Writers of Australia Inc.
http://www.romanceaustralia.net/

and Melbourne Romance Writers Guild
http://www.melbournerwg.com/