There are a hundred different ways to answer the question, "How do I get started in writing for publication." It partly depends on where a person is in the writing process. People are on different levels. Some write everyday; some only think about writing everyday. Some have just had the idea that writing would be a great thing to get into.

In some ways you need to be doing a hundred things first---but that's not possible. It's also impractical to focus on too many new things at once. So, a little patience is probably the first thing a new writer needs to aim for. Besides patience, and realizing it's best to work for quality before rushing to get your name in print, there are many things you can be doing. There is no specific order because each person's talents and abilities are different.

You've already decided you are interested in nonfiction writing. That's good. Whether writing for children or adults, it's easier to break into nonfiction writing than it is fiction.

Most people like to read information from authors they know and trust. It's called branding---creating an identity as an author. If a reader likes foreign espionage type fiction, the reader likely will pick up books by authors such as Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum. It's the author's name that draws the reader's attention to that book. If it's romance novels, science fiction, or whatever, there are almost always certain authors a reader looks for on the bookshelf. If those authors don't have anything new, then often the reader won't pick up anything else.

It's not as predictable for nonfiction readers. People who like nonfiction are more willing to branch out to reading authors they may know nothing about. It's the subject the reader is interested in rather than just the "who" of an author's name. That's the main reason it's so much easier to break into nonfiction writing. Also, if you are seeking traditional publishers for a nonfiction book (versus POD, vanity, true self-publishing, or subsidy), publishers are more willing to take a chance on unknown authors as long as you have a strong platform.

So what do you do to get started? Try to join a critique group. I'll be truthful, that's not always easy to do. Finding critique groups which know what they are doing and can really help one another to the published arena are hard to find. There are some genre specific critique groups on-line. Those can be a great resource to use.

Of course, one of the main things a beginning or seasoned writer should be doing is writing. Sounds obvious but we often get so busy that days (or much longer) go by and no writing gets done. Writing is just like any other feat which people excel in. Writers have to learn, grow, and practice, practice, practice. No concert pianist started out that way. No Olympian got there without training, diligence, and practice. It's the same in writing.

For me, it's best to set a base amount of 500, 1000, or more words per day that I will write. To say I'm going to write for 30 minutes usually gets me nowhere. I can stare and doodle on a page for 30 minutes and then say, "Well, I guess I just didn't have anything to say today." No, do not let yourself take the easy way out. Even if your writing is horrible, gibberish, and you throw it away, that word count is important. Your brain won't let you keep writing gibberish day after day. It will give up and say, "OK, you win. I'll start doing better." The more you write you'll notice your writing does improve.

Make sure you read things you enjoy. That helps train your brain for things to look for in how to write. When you are reading, get in the habit of writing out passages of the writing you especially like. Don't forget to record where that passage came from because in a few years or months, you may not remember. Keep all those passages or quotes from texts you like in a folder or notebook. Going through those later, spurs new ideas and helps format the style of writing you want to do.

Keep reading and keep writing. One thing about writing is that the learning part is also fun.