What would your advice to aspiring fantasy writers trying to break into the industry be?
The podcast has been mentioned.
The number one thing I’d do right now, however, is try to write two books a year–then dedicate one to self publishing and one to traditional publishing. This will greatly increase your chances of making it full time, I feel–and the self-publishing experiences will inform how you approach traditional publishing, if you even end up doing it at all. At the very least, you’ll know how much a NYC publisher would need to give you to match what you’re doing on your own.
I’d network by attending sf/f conventions, but I’d focus most of all on my writing. Make sure you’re spending time in the chair, working on your fiction. Not all writers write at the same speed, so perhaps two books a year is totally impossible for you. Make sure you are being consistent, though. That’s the only way you’ll get better.
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