What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

S.J. Watson Work. Write. Read. Write. Write some more. Read some more. Surround yourself with people who support and inspire you, or at least will understand that you're not coming to their party because you need to finish chapter 23 before the end of the week. Buy fancy stationery and a shiny new computer if you must, but they'll only help if you use them. Devour 'How to write' books if you want, but always be prepared to disagree with their advice and plough your own furrow. But most importantly just keep putting words on the page or screen, because that's the only way you'll get better.

Also - understand that the reason most books aren't published isn't that the publishing industry is a closed society that hates new writers. It's because they're just not good enough. Make yours good enough.

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