Goodreads asked Penney Peirce:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Penney Peirce Keep a journal. Ask yourself questions and answer them. Play with your imagination: write as your 5-year-old self or your 100-year-old self or as a famous person. Give yourself assignments to experiment with form and voice. Explore topics: what does your inner self know about sarcasm, or water management, or what foods to eat? Get feedback from people who know about writing. Use it to improve.

Don't start out to write a book; sometimes it's too much pressure and you get ahead of yourself. Write an anecdote, write titles, write a chunk of dialogue, write a memorable quote, write a short story, write an essay. Build up. But keep on.

flag