Don’t overestimate your writing, but don’t underestimate it as well.

You’re not famous. Yet. Don’t have that grand delusion that everyone on the planet will read what you write. Stay true to your purpose. You don’t need to follow the herd. You’re probably tempted to write in a particular genre because you’ve seen how it turned some authors into overnight celebrities. What are the odds that your book will fetch you a six or seven-figure royalties? Set realistic expectations.

And then comes the opposite—writers who underestimate their work. This happens either because they’re afraid to offend or are struggling to please their clients. Just write the piece in good faith and shun the demons of doubt.

You cannot please everybody.

Online publishing can reach a global audience faster than traditional publishing. You don’t even need to be a blogger to receive feedback from readers instantly. Any article you send to webmasters will garner instant views. As the author, you look forward to finding out what readers think or feel about your piece. Online authors provide feedbacks to readers as a sustaining strategy to keep them engaged and looking forward to new content.

Make sure that you’re equipped with the right mindset in dealing with reader feedback. Comments are either positive or negative. If all you expect is positive feedback, then it defeats the purpose of reader engagement. Don’t take it personally. Relax and try to see the perspective from their point of view. Understand too, that some people need to get a life, as they do nothing all day but to go online and troll those who are doing better. Learn to give the right response to given stimuli. Besides, your editor approved and published your article. That’s what matters.

Research, research, and research.

Websites and e-zines are always on the lookout for good content, but this doesn’t mean that they’ll publish anything you throw at them. Before pitching, really get to know the publication you’re targeting. Do not just browse through the type of articles they publish. Read them thoroughly to get a better feel for what makes those articles click. In addition, always address the proper editor instead of putting “Dear Sir/Madam.” This is off-putting to many editors. If you cannot be bothered to find out who to address your pitch to, why they would bother with you in return?

On the other hand, many websites, especially trade websites, don’t have a submissions page. This doesn’t mean that they’re not accepting submissions. Dig deeper by finding the editor’s email and send him a query asking if they accept articles from freelancers.

Keep at it.

You will probably get rejections. If you choose to fail early and quit, you will have wasted time and effort. If you choose to learn from your failures by keeping at it, soon the rewards for your effort will loom on the horizon. You’ll continue to make mistakes, but choose to learn from them. Mistakes make you a better writer.