As we were about to embark on our book tour, we asked some writer/friends for their best advice on the whole book shebang. Even if you’re not planning on writing a bestseller, this is sage wisdom for creativity and career. So wherever “book” appears, feel free to insert “art” or… “relationships” or… “life.”

Gretchen Rubin, author of Forty Ways to Look at JFK and the wonderful, popular blog: The Happiness Project:

1. Write on an idea that you find inexhaustibly fascinating! Books take such a long time and so much work – unless you feel that deep commitment to your subject, it’s very hard to sustain your interest. [Note from C&D: only date or marry people whom you find fascinating... or at least very entertaining.]
2. Know your audience and accept your audience. Many authors want to reach an audience different from their natural audience. This sometimes happens, but rarely.
3. Spend a huge amount of thought on the cover and the cover copy, because this is the chief point of connection with readers. [Note from C&D: put good thought into what you're going to wear for special occasions.]

Veronica Chambers, author of Kickboxing Geisha’s:

1. The books that touch a chord are the ones written with joy and with curiosity. Don’t write to settle vendettas, to lecture to people about how they should live, to immortalize yourself on the page. When in doubt and as much as possible, write out, eyes gazed at the world, not at your own navel. [Note from C&D: funny thing, when you set out to be expressive AND helpful, beautiful things usually happen...]
2. If you do not have credits in magazines, newspapers, etc, it would behoove you to work on publishing smaller pieces before you go after a book deal. Becoming a writer is not unlike becoming an architect; it’s a building game and you want to make sure your foundation is strong enough to support the massive structure that is your soon to be brilliant career.

Sound advice. Thanks to Gretchen and Veronica!