Writing tips for beginners (post 3 blog marathon)

 I got the above mail yesterday. (The mail is shared with permission). I want to tell all of you, that I reply personally to all my mails, and I haven't hired an assistant to do so. Even though I get many mails like these, each and every nice mail I get, I hoard like a squirrel, during my dark writing days.
When I am down, mails like the above pep me up.
If you want to write to me, my email id is ps(at)preetishenoy(dot)com
However,  also want to clarify that if you are writing, asking me to read what you have written, I would politely point you to this post.

Photo by Simson Petrol on Unsplash Today, I got a mail from a reader who  after praising my books and writing, asked me these questions, about writing, as this person wants to write a books.
I thought I would share my answers in a blog post, as I get asked these questions over and over.

1)What should be my approach as a beginner?
 The first thing would be to read. Read everything you can lay your hands on. Read different genres. Read, read, read.Then, write every single day.  Write a blog post/a dairy entry/ a story/a poem or even a paragraph. But WRITE!

2)Have you had any literature course to elevate your skills?should I take any correspondence literature course?
Yes,  many years ago, I did a creative writing course from The British Institutes. I don't know if they offer it any more. But there are a whole lot of universities like MIT which offer FREE creative writing courses. Please google and you are sure find many.However, merely doing a course will never make you a writer. At best you may learn  techniques for the craft which is important. It is just like how doing a cooking-course will not make you a great cook!  What you need is to write, write and write.
3) I work at IT industry so how I should balance my time schedule to leverage it for my career?You make time for things which are most important to you. Please read this post  I wrote on making time for things that matter to you. Within that post , there is a link of time management.

4) Being kiddish ,will my looks affect my career because I am not so beautiful[image error]