Brad Mant asked Alma Katsu:

Any advice for aspiring writers? Where does one even begin? Brad

Alma Katsu Great question! Writing is an amazing release, a mental exercise, a personal challenge, and more. But it can seem daunting in the beginning. One approach is to jump right in. You have an idea, even if it's not fully formed. Start writing. Try to write every day. Take some time to think about what you've written, what scene comes next. Make sure you keep reading. Think about what challenges you in your writing and see how other writers handled it (I had to deal with time jumps in The Taker, and so I studied The Time Traveller's Wife, for instance). There are great books on writing; start building your reference shelf. Ursula LeGuin's Steering the Craft is great for the basics: POV, verb tenses, handling exposition. Eventually, join a writing group to get feedback on your work. Critiquing others' work is a great way to grow your editorial eye. Remember, this is a craft--no rush, commit to getting better every day. Good luck!

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