Have you ever wondered how experienced writers got that way? Well, I have, and now that I've been writing and submitting my work to publications for over twenty years, I will share my 'secrets' I learned with you. Hopefully, it will make your road to getting published a lot easier than mine was.

If you find yourself faced with “idea block,” listen to your friends and family and others you know. Often, a funny joke, cute anecdote, etc. will help you glean ideas you wouldn't have thought of. This has helped me many times.

If you submit, you will be rejected part of the time. Writers have been told a rejection is just a stepping stone to getting published. To me, it is just a rejection. It means the material you sent wasn’t what they were looking for. Don't feel badly when you receive a rejection, just keep writing and improving and that will lead to an acceptance.

Never submit your first draft, even if you think it is your best work. Save it for a few days, and then check it over again. You will be amazed at how you can edit it, making it much better.

If an editor suggests a change in your work after she accepts it, don't automatically say you can't make the changes. After all, she/he is the one paying you, and has a right to make it the way she/he wants it. If you insist on having it your way, the editor will just find a writer interested in producing work they can actually publish. Unless an editor’s suggestion is outrageous, then give it a try. I have done that and find it to be worthwhile.

Don't antagonize an editor with rude remarks about anything she writes to you. If she/he takes the time to call you, always be polite, no matter what. You never know who she/he might know. Editors often know each other, and talk about writers’ ethics. Plus, if an editor ever recommends a writer to another editor, it will always be the writer who both writes well and is easy to work with.

Always check the latest guidelines. You can do it online and it will save you money, time and effort. Of course, study the magazine you want to write for to give you a good feel of what the editor wants. If you send in the same idea an editor has recently done, she/he will know you don't know their publication. It will result in a rejection right away.

After an editor has published your work, always send her or him a thank you note. I find this to be courteous. It is a great way to let them know you are a friendly writer. They are people too, and want to work with writers. You may not hear from the editor, but when it comes time to choose between two manuscripts that are equally good, guess whose work the editor will no doubt accept? Editors like working with the polite and the professional.

Following the above seven tips should speed your way into getting your first acceptance. I wish I had known about them before I started writing. I might not have the gray hair I do now.