Oh Leigh. I just started writing my own story on fictionpress and can I just say, you have ruined reading from me. You want to know why? Because every time I read SoC or CK, my literary self-esteem just drops into the Mariana Trench. How are you so wonder

You’re awfully kind! Thanks for giving my ego such a pat. 

All I can say is that my first drafts are terrible. My work really only becomes my work in revision. One of the most important lessons I learned as a writer was not to compare my first drafts to the books I love—because NONE of them are first drafts. 

The first draft is where you tell yourself the story. Let yourself off the hook and let it be bad! Trust the process of revising and revisiting to get you to something wonderful. Good luck