Publishing is a business. Writing may be art, but publishing, when all is said and done, comes down to dollars. Keep that in mind.

I say this because of the volume of mail I receive from unpublished writers who believe that "having a good story," is enough to guarantee success.

It's not.

Business is harder for women than for men. We're genetically more sensitive. At least I choose to think we are. We tend to apologize more which makes us appear weaker. And lastly we also tend to want to please. Taken all together, this put many of us in the position of acting too passive in our careers.