Network!
“It’s really important when you’re writing alone to have people [whom you can] ask questions,” says Shanti Sosienski, a full-time writer whose first book Women Who Run hits stores tomorrow. She suggests joining Mediabistro.com where you can talk with other writers on message boards or network at media events at clubs and bars. And most cities have writers’ communities or guilds, where you can get together with other writers to talk shop and edit stories.

Write every day.
Being a writer takes discipline. “You can’t wait for time,” says Chambers. “I would get up really early or stay awake really late so I could write my books while still having a day job.”

Get published.
“As a freelance writer,” says Sosienski, “you always have to be pitching a story—every day. You can’t just sit back and think people are going to give you [jobs].” Pitching an article requires first researching what types of stories a publication usually prints and then drafting your researched story idea into a short, interesting email or letter that will catch an editor’s eye.