Always Learning?

I may be a teacher 9 months out of the year, but I'm always a student.  Whether it's about life, kids, educating, writing, or God's word--I'm always learning.  First, I'll start with the writing.  NO ONE ever starts out writing a perfect novel.  Let me repeat that...NO ONE  ever starts out writing a perfect novel.  But we all want to.  Sure, there are people who sell their first novel, however, those people are few.  They're as unique as Albert Einstein or Steven Hawking.  The rest of us pour our blood, sweat and tears into our novels.  Writing is a craft that has be learned.  I wish I could tell you the perfect formula, but honestly, there isn't one.  There's just what editors want and what readers will buy.  If you can somehow fall within those two parameters, then you'll be published.  If you're an aspiring writer, my advice is to start with the basics.  Write a manuscript as if it were a research paper that you have to make an A on just to pass the class.  Editors don't like or want manuscripts with misspelled words or grammatical errors.  That alone is the first thing you need to work on.  Buy a good grammar reference guide and use it often.  Next, buy a few books on how to write a novel.  Even after writing for so many years, I still go back and reread my "how to" books from time to time.  It's too easy to get stuck in a rut and forget things that we learned early on.  The last thing I'd like to mention is to keep your faith strong.  Be vigilant and don't give up. Always be willing to learn and improve your skills.  And remember that no one ever started out writing a perfect novel.  The first manuscript I submitted was rejected. But the editor told me that I had a talent for storytelling, however, I needed to learn the "craft of writing".  She went on to say that if I did that, she felt I would someday be published.  I still have that letter and I've reread it many, many times.  One word of encouragement was enough to keep me going for 11 long years.  It was all I needed to hear.  :)