I like the old Boy Scout motto of always being prepared. There’s just something comforting about being ready for whatever crosses your path. The same can apply to our writing. You never know when you will be called upon to write about a particular topic, or when a last minute project drops in your lap. I’ve had the latter happen a few times this year when an editor asked me for an article here, a project there, that needed to be done within a few weeks.

Thankfully I’m a prepared researcher. I know how to find good facts online and in the library, so it’s just a matter of time before I’m digging up tidbits of information. I also have some great writers friends who I can call/e-mail with formatting questions, and my personal library is full of reference books to answer other technical questions.

Writing takes preparation. You need resources at your fingertips to get you moving along the path to a productive writing career. If you’re not prepared, take some time now to find sources that will help you be successful. Join writer’s groups both online and in-person, read books on writing and formatting, build yourself a network of fellow writers you can call for information, and know your way around research. Then you, too, will be prepared when those projects start rolling in.

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