I went to a book signing the other evening. The author was Steve Berry, author of The Amber Room, The Templar Legacy, The Romanov Prophecy, The Third Secret and, just released The Alexandria Link. First off, he was entertaining and his story is a great one for all us struggling authors who are still looking for an agent and publisher.

More importantly, he had great advice for those wishing to publish. Keep writing, which is easier to say than sometimes do, but that is only part of his advice. But for that first part to be meaningful, one has to also follow the second piece -- keep honing your craft. Use each new work as a path for growth and improvement. Be critical of your own work.

We all know, deep down, when we have struck a great line, or great image or just a great scene. So, when you have finished your work, and mine happens to be the mystery novel, feel satisfied in your accomplishment but also review it to see how you can make the next piece better.

For me, what I have found is that I have to continue to work at tightening up my work -- how to say more in fewer words. My first try at a novel ended up being over 150,000 words -- much to much, by 20%, of what a publisher wants for both economic and readership reasons. So, I worked at cutting it down by 20,000 words. While I accomplished my goal, it would have been so much easier and probably made the end story more readable, if I had been able to write a tighter prose right from the beginning.

As for Steve Berry, he has a following, people who have read his works, who live to read the next work and who let him know when he has made a mistake in his history or references or in some small area of the book. I want that. I want people who enjoy my writings, who look forward to the next story, who are entertained and maybe even enlightened by what I have created.

The book signing went on much longer than is the norm because Steve Berry is entertaining. He enjoys talking to his fans and he makes them all feel as though he knows them and wants to know them better.

Keep writing Steve so I can keep learning.