Before you sit down to write the Great American novel, there are some things to think about. The most important one seems benign enough, but it's actually quite serious.

Why do you want to write it? Fun? If so, then go for it. Enjoy yourself to the fullest and don't let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do with it. Forget plot structure, grammar, punctuation, etc. Let the creative muse play.

Want to write it to share with family and friends? Well then, you might want to clean it up a little. Make sure it has something resembling a plot, specific characters, dialogue and a narrative that makes sense. But other than that, don't tie yourself in knots.

Money? Glamor? Fame? Yeah, those things can be out there, but, by the same token, people win the lottery, too. I've never compared the odds, but they're probably not too much worse. To be blunt, most writers aren't hauling in big bucks. If we're lucky, we make ends meet. But we didn't quit our day jobs the second we typed "The End" on our first "masterpiece." (When to give up the steady paycheck and depend on your writing is another whole subject that I'll try to go into elsewhere.) If you're in this because you're dreaming of dollar signs, go play the stock market. The odds are better.

What about this one? You've got a story in your head that's itching to be told, and you want to see it in print. Now we're getting serious here. This one will take commitment of a religious zealot, the discipline of a marine drill instructor and more heart than most people realize they have to give.

For most people, the road to publication is a long, tough one. (See my article "Top Reasons Why Writers Fail To Publish") Do you have the capacity to learn the patience that success will require? Or are you looking for something quick and painless? If it's the latter, then consider your writing a hobby.

Publishing houses are almost always looking for new talent. But writing for publication is a difficult and stressful endeavor. Competition is fierce. It's not uncommon to make revision after revision at an editor's request only to get a form letter reject in the end. Success not only requires savy, but skin as thick as alligator hide. It's all do-able, just be prepared.

If you feel a story in your soul so strongly that it must be told--whether you publish or not--then you've taken the first step. The rest can be learned.

So You Think You Want To Write A Book, Huh?