There should be an anonymous' group for writers, like Overeaters
             Anonymous or Shoppers Anonymous. Just as everyone has to eat something,
             and everyone has to shop sometimesâ€"which makes it hard to go cold turkey'
             if you're addicted to food or your credit cardsâ€"the same thing is true of
             writing. You have to write. You have to write a letter to the car
             dealership that messed you over, or to your child's teacher, or to the UPS
             driver to ask him to please leave the food you bought online with your
             So it's no wonder people go from there to thinking maybe they could
             Obviously, if you're sitting here, you've had that idea.
             To be a professional writer, though, you have to sell your work.
             Here's what I have found out that requires:
             Oh, yes. And a strong ego. Because when you offer your short story
             or book to an editor for sale, some of them will say no. LOTS of them will
             say no. Over and over and over. Finally, though, if your writing is good,
             one will say YES. When you've been published once, you'll have the
             greatly desired track record,' and then you can use that first sale to
             prove to other editors that you are a writer, and then they might buy your
             The process, these days, is simple. You don't even have to spend
             money for postage. You just write your story, or a portion of your book.
             Then you go online and Google whatever sort of publication you think suits
             your story. If you've written a short story about love and marriage, don't
             think you'll make your first sale to Cosmopolitan. You might. But
             probably not. So look for smaller magazines of the same sort. Look up
             their editor's name, and email your submission, along with a short cover
             ...