The advice I am providing is a combination of things I was instructed to do via other writers, magazine articles, interviews, and from personal experiences.
Study the publishing industry. Find out how the business works and the methods you can use to break in. Who are the agents? Editors? Publishing Houses (major conglomerates and small press)? Imprints? And find out how they want to be approached and stick to that. Refer to yearly publications such as Writer's Market, Novel and Short Story Writer's Market, Guide to Literary Agents, Writers Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents, Writer's Market FAQ's, and other similar books. These books are fairly expensive but you do not have to buy the brand new versions. Go to your local library or Half.com to purchase old versions so you may obtain basic information. You will need to refer to the most current editions, however, if you want to get the names of agents, etc.
Go where the writers are. Attend local book signings and be sure to ask questions. Try to go to at least one major writing conference per year. These events will help answer your questions and will put you in contact with authors, agents, editors, and other key industry people. Networking is important and may lead to an open door. One of the best industry conferences is Book Expo America. There's also RAWSISTAZ Literary Affair, Baltimore Book Festival, and the Harlem Book Fair.
Take creative writing classes, practice writing as much as possible, learn the elements of fiction and what constitutes a novel. Try to feel comfortable writing and learn the gist of what it takes to produce a quality story. You may enroll in on-line courses, classes at a local community college/university, or you may refer to a number of textbooks or other writing references. One of the best and most popular text books on the market is called Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway. And when writing your story don't forget to include your unique twist, voice, or view point. Don't be afraid to be different and carve out your own niche. The industry already has a Terry McMillan; if you think that you write just like her, then why would the industry need you? Try to be the best writer and most unique writer that you can be.
Read, read, and read again. In order to know how to write a novel, you should read an abundance of novels. Read the classics (Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Marita Golden). Read the genre in which you're most interested and get a strong feel for what must be included in that type of story. Read lots of non-fiction and get acquainted with a dictionary and thesaurus, and read short stories. And it's a good idea to read lots of well-written books. It is true that good writing habits can rub off on you, but reading someone's bad writing may affect you too.
Subscribe to trade industry magazines. Publishers Weekly is critical - it tells you which novels are going to be released, by who and when; it tells you about the most recent deals, the industry trends, how many books John Grisham has sold, and who is on the best seller list. There's also Writers Digest, Black Images Book Review, Quarterly Black Review, The Writer, Poets and Writers, Booking Matters Magazine, and an abundance of other genre-based magazines.
Rewriting is gonna be your best friend. It's not enough to finish the first draft of a novel. You have to go back, line by line, and edit, delete words, or add more appropriate words. You have to clarify what you mean, strengthen your characters, kill off unneeded characters, omit repetitive or unnecessary detail, show character emotions (as opposed to tell), check and re-check facts, make sure you have a climax, and ask yourself if there's conflict happening in every chapter, plus a whole lot of other things. You have to review your story from the eyes of a reader and try to look for details that might not be obvious, yet they're important. Let a trusted friend read some of your material, if not the whole book, and you have to be able to take constructive criticism. And don't be afraid to take as much time as you need to do the work. Try not to rush the book; let the process take its course.
Learn to sacrifice. I knew I was serious when I started giving up both personal time and money. Turn off the television, go to bed late, get up early, abandon the time-wasteful activities that you could be using to write, rewrite, research, or study the industry. You're going to get out of your career whatever you're willing to put into it. The sacrifices are difficult in the beginning, but will be worth it down the road.
Find a mentor. I'd never formally ask anyone to mentor me; instead, I believe that mentoring just kind of naturally happens. Find another writer (new or established), and if there is a natural connection, that person can serve as a mentor. You should feel comfy going to someone and asking questions, and they should be patient with you and willing to answer. If the relationship is a struggle, if they're hard to get in touch with or ignore you, try to find someone else. Mentors can provide guidance and keep you from making critical mistakes. You can also be privileged to find a new friend.
Develop a spiritual foundation. If you believe in God and in purpose and destiny, pray about everything; from your future agent and editor, to your book cover, to your travel itinerary, to your contract, put all these details in God's hand; listen to him direct you, and thank him when he starts answering your prayers.
Last but not least, do not give up. Every single published writer traveled a unique path to get where he is. It may take a year, it may take five or ten years, but no matter how long it takes, be positive and try not to become discouraged. If you make mistakes and fall down, rise to your feet, wipe the dust off your hands, and try again. Learn from your errors, but don't let them stop you. Support other writers and other writers may support you. And, as author Kimberla Lawson Roby says, "Believe in God, believe in yourself, and believe in your writing."
