Laini Taylor: How to Succeed as a Writer and Illustrator

When your personal motto is "I believe our dreams are REAL THINGS, not wisps and air, and it is our job in this life to make them come true, because no one else will do it for us, and because this is our one and only 'wild & precious life'!", it would be hard not to make a splash.

And a splash is what Laini Taylor, a young adult writer and illustrator living in Portland, Oregon, is making.

Long before Laini's fantasy series of laminated paper dolls became a hit, she considered herself a writer. The problem was that she edited travel guide books for a living, and couldn't find the inspiration to come home and write after-hours. So writing took a back burner while she went back to school and began drawing mischevous, spunky sprites ... winged things that sold as prints at the Portland Saturday Market.

Now, 2 years after her paper doll series - Laini's Ladies - debuted, Laini Taylor is working on the second in a series of young adult novels: Faeries of Dreamdark. The first in the series, Blackbringer, is coming out from Penguin/Putnam in June.

As a writer beyond addicted to illustration in all its forms, Laini's story is inspiring. More than that, it's possible to emulate her success yourself - here's how.

Make Opportunities for Luck to Happen

When asked how she snagged a 5-book deal on her debut in the publishing world, Laini Taylor responded, "By making a lot of little opportunities for luck to happen. I took chances and put myself out there."

More specifically, Laini took an unusual path to success by sneaking in the backdoor of publishing - not as a writer, but as an illustrator.

Want to try and emulate Laini's success? Here's a few tips based on what she has done to succeed:

1. Keep Learning