Goodreads

Goodreads asked Mary Mackey:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Mary Mackey Never give up. Keep on writing. Some of the greatest writers had a hard time getting published. Don't make publication a measure of how good you are. Create your own standards; constantly improve your craft; polish, polish, polish. My first conventionally published novel "McCarthy's List" was rejected by 250 publishers--perhaps every publisher in the world at the time. I took it back and revised it 12 times on a typewriter.The next time I submitted it, 12 publishers bid for it, and Doubleday published it. It was reviewed in the New York Times, sold well, and got me a movie deal with Warner Brothers. In short: keep clicking those keys and never give up.

More Answered Questions

Jennifer Powell

Jennifer Powell asked Mary Mackey:

I loved your Earthsong Trilogy, and I see that you've also branched out into writing poetry. What do you enjoy about poetry versus novels? They seem like such different kinds of writing, so I am curious why you do both.

Katherine Catmull

Katherine Catmull asked Mary Mackey:

I would love to hear more about how you do research for your novels -- you write on so many different historical topics. It seems like the research must be part of the fun of writing for you.

Goodreads

Goodreads asked Mary Mackey:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

All answers from Mary Mackey…

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