This week I'm taking a break from writing and instead am shushing some great powder in Steamboat Springs. Sound like a fantastic getaway? Yeah, it would be, if it weren't for a killer headache, perpetual nausea, shortness of breath, and a general feeling of being hit by a Mack truck. Turns out skiers from lower altitudes like me shouldn't hit the highest slopes on day one because of

altitude illness

. Apparently I should've acclimated myself first.

Which is a really good idea for newbie writers as well. A wannabe writer needs to acclimate or risk a writerly-type version of the same sort of malaise. How to do that? Here are a few tips . . .

#1. Don't expect to write a best seller with your very first manuscript. Slow down. Take your time to practice on a few stories before you expect to sell one.

#2. Slow and steady wins the race. Rushing to pump out a novel is going to sound like a rushed novel. Take your time to learn the basics and practice with them.

#3. Give yourself a break and don't be so hard on yourself. It's normal to feel like a loser when you don't land a contract right away, but don't give up. Most writers I know took 5-10 years before selling something. Others even longer.

Yeah, I'll be hitting the slopes again tomorrow but I won't be going to the top peaks again. I've learned my lesson to take it easy for the first few days. Learn your lesson, writer, and don't be overly ambitious in what you expect to accomplish at first.