Top 10 moments in Annette K. Larsen's writing career AND Giveaway

Today we have not one, but two top tens lists! Don't forget to enter the $25 gift card giveaway (end of post) and check out the other tour stops.

Top 10 moments in my writing career:

The moment I sat back in my office chair and realized that I had written a book. An entire book.
Being contacted by one of my favorite authors.
Seeing the completed painting for my cover art.
Getting my first review from a stranger.
Being contacted by a blogger wanting to read and review my book.
Receiving the first paperback copy of my book.
The first time someone compared me to Julianne Donaldson and Sarah M. Eden.
The first time I realized just how liberating it is to delete a scene that isn’t working.
Starting my second book and having the feeling that it was going to be good.
When I noticed just how many people were telling me they stayed up way too late to read something that I wrote.

Top ten lessons I learned while writing a book:

Ask for help.
The first version of that scene can be better.
So can the second version.
How to punctuate dialogue and dialogue tags.
It’s never too late to learn proper grammar.
Family members can give great feedback.Just be sure you get plenty of other people (preferably strangers) to give you feedback as well.
Figure out what your setting looks like before you start.
No matter how grown up I pretend to be, I will still pout when someone doesn’t like my stuff. But then I get over it.
You don’t need that sentence...or that one...in fact, just ax the whole paragraph.
Ruthless critiques are hard. Seek them out anyway.