Remember that amazingly awesome computer game Oregon Trail?

Maybe it’s because I’ve been up too long, but to me it seems like the path to publication is a lot like the Oregon Trail:

You Load Your Wagon

How many oxen do you need? How many shotgun pellets?

When writing, the oxen are the projects you’re working on, and the shotgun pellets are your knowledge base. You can kill more buffalo (or squirrels/rabbits if you are in a non-grassy area) with more bullets. As a writer, you will be better supplied if you read widely, try writing in multiple genres to discover your best voice, and research individual publishers and agents to discover their needs.

And like publishing, sometimes it just takes that one ox to get you through to the next part of the game.

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