1. Trust your own process. There are loads of writing how-to books out there with conflicting information. Read some of them. You will find that many have the same advice but worded just differently enough to allow them to label the advice as "their method." None of them are the be-all, tell-all, how-to bible. But they all have useful suggestions to help you hone your craft and help you define the method that works for you.

2. Commit to the writing. Whether your goal is an hour of writing a day, or a page count or a dedicated day on the weekend, strive to reach that goal.

3. That having been said, don't be afraid of failing. If you can't make a goal for whatever reason, don't beat yourself up over it. Taking wellness breaks is okay and encouraged.

4. Find people to read -- and to criticize your working drafts. Friends, family, professionals. Criticism before publishing is necessary. Your beta readers might just find a plot hole or two that really needs to be addressed. They might also disagree with each other regarding what they like and what they don't like. That's okay! And it's also okay to take their criticism with a grain of salt. You don't have to change anything based on beta reader criticism, but keep an open mind and always thank them for their input.

5. One "rule" about writing and success that I will always agree with, as told by screenwriter William Goldman (The Princess Bride, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, among others...)--Nobody knows anything! The best you can hope for is an educated guess.