Here's are seven things I learned from Meredith Cole, Mary Burton, and Ellery Adams. They put on a great panel for writers at the Sisters in Crime - Central Virginia meeting in January.

1. Go to writing conferences.

2. Write every day. No excuses!

3. Choose your other creative projects carefully (especially ones that take away from your writing time).

4. Do your research before submitting to agents.

5. Writing is a business. Be professional!

6. Persistence is as important as talent.

7. Save some of your first advance to market yourself.