Charlize
asked
Nicole Bailey:
Your Apollo Ascending series was amazing! I finished it and I couldn't put them down for one second. Do you have any advice for new aspiring writers?
Nicole Bailey
Hi Charlize!
First of all, thank you so much and I’m so glad you enjoyed the Apollo series! I always love to hear they were hard to put down! 😁
I always wanted to write. I actually wrote my first fantasy novel when I was around 10/11 (and I’m considering writing the story again because I still think the concept is good!)
In January of 2020 I read Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert with a friend. For me, that was the turning point between wanting to write and becoming a writer. I highly recommend reading it!
As far as learning craft goes, the two best things are—brace yourself for this revolutionary knowledge—writing and reading. 😅 I know those sound obvious, however the best ways to learn to write is to write some everyday. (I recommend the book Mini Habits and that approach. Writing 5 minutes every day > writing an hour if the latter causes you to never write.)
Reading frequently in the genre you want to write in will help you see how others do it, what tropes are popular, what makes a novel compelling (or not.) Not that you have to stick with tropes—I love to subvert them myself, but knowing the rules so you can break them is a philosophy that works for me with writing :)
As far as craft goes, I’m always learning and growing. I always hope the next book I write is my strongest one yet.
Some writing craft books that have really helped me are:
The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass
The Anatomy of Prose by Sacha Black
The Anatomy of a Bestseller by Sacha Black
How to Write a Novel that Will Sell Well and Satisfy Your Inner Artist by Harry Bingham
On Writing by Stephen King
2k to 10k: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of what you Love by Rachel Aaron
I always take what resonates for me and leave the rest.
In short, my advice is write, read, and learn. Preferably some of each every day :) I also think Ms. Frizzle’s, “take chances, make mistakes, get messy” quote tends to work well for writers as well. 😂
I hope that was helpful!
-Nicole
First of all, thank you so much and I’m so glad you enjoyed the Apollo series! I always love to hear they were hard to put down! 😁
I always wanted to write. I actually wrote my first fantasy novel when I was around 10/11 (and I’m considering writing the story again because I still think the concept is good!)
In January of 2020 I read Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert with a friend. For me, that was the turning point between wanting to write and becoming a writer. I highly recommend reading it!
As far as learning craft goes, the two best things are—brace yourself for this revolutionary knowledge—writing and reading. 😅 I know those sound obvious, however the best ways to learn to write is to write some everyday. (I recommend the book Mini Habits and that approach. Writing 5 minutes every day > writing an hour if the latter causes you to never write.)
Reading frequently in the genre you want to write in will help you see how others do it, what tropes are popular, what makes a novel compelling (or not.) Not that you have to stick with tropes—I love to subvert them myself, but knowing the rules so you can break them is a philosophy that works for me with writing :)
As far as craft goes, I’m always learning and growing. I always hope the next book I write is my strongest one yet.
Some writing craft books that have really helped me are:
The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass
The Anatomy of Prose by Sacha Black
The Anatomy of a Bestseller by Sacha Black
How to Write a Novel that Will Sell Well and Satisfy Your Inner Artist by Harry Bingham
On Writing by Stephen King
2k to 10k: How to Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of what you Love by Rachel Aaron
I always take what resonates for me and leave the rest.
In short, my advice is write, read, and learn. Preferably some of each every day :) I also think Ms. Frizzle’s, “take chances, make mistakes, get messy” quote tends to work well for writers as well. 😂
I hope that was helpful!
-Nicole
More Answered Questions
CMM
asked
Nicole Bailey:
I just want to say how much I adore your Apollo & Hyacinth. Your way of telling their love story is one of the best retellings about GM I have ever, ever read. I am currently in awe of how well you blend different myths and Gods within the story. So, with that said - what made you fall in love with GM? And why Apollo & Hyacinth?
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