By Michelle Griep, @MichelleGriep

Editors don’t owe you a request for a proposal.

Nor does the publisher owe you a big, fat advance.

Bloggers are not required to host you on their site.

There’s no obligation for reviewers to read your book and post a 5-star review.

And most of all, readers are NOT in your debt.

But I’ve met plenty of writers who think otherwise. These are the Eeyore’s of the writerly world. Poor me. No one wants my book. I can’t get anyone to interview me or help me market. It’s just not fair.

To which I reply, “Suck it up, mopey pants, and get over yourself.”

Go ahead and call me hard-hearted, if you must, but here’s the deal . . . take some responsibility for your lack of success. How?

• If you get a tough critique, glean and implement the comments to polish your manuscript.
• If you get rejected by an agent or editor, ask why. Then work to change those aspects of your writing.
• If one-star reviews plague your Amazon page, read them to find common threads that you can change in future books.

The point is that the writing field is pretty level. It takes blood and guts to win the game — not lots of complaining. Work hard. Write your best and learn to write even better. Do that and you’ll find you won’t have any time left to mope.

Once Upon a Dickens Christmas

Pour yourself a cuppa, get lost in the merriment of the season, and enjoy a Dickensian Christmas in three stories from fan favorite Michelle Griep.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She is the author of historical romances: The Captured Bride, The Innkeeper’s Daughter, 12 Days at Bleakly Manor, The Captive Heart, Brentwood’s Ward, and A Heart Deceived, but also leaped the historical fence into the realm of contemporary with the zany romantic mystery Out of the Frying Pan. If you’d like to keep up with her escapades, find her at www.michellegriep.com or stalk her on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.