Goodreads asked Ingrid Banwell:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Ingrid Banwell Keep at it. Write, write and write. Don’t worry if it’s awful. At first, keep your inner critic quiet and just keep going. Inner critics are there to help us structure our creative visions. But if you have an impatient, interfering inner critic, the first thing that inner critic is going to say is “this work is wooden and inhibited!” And then you are stuck in a downward spiral of endless creative misery. So be enthusiastic. Write what you love and love what you write. Also, listen to what well-meaning readers tell you about what you think is your final completed masterpiece. Prepare yourself - this can be painful - akin to having teeth pulled without an anaesthetic or giving up a child. However, genuine caring and constructive feedback will help you. A good editor is not out to destroy your unique creative vision. They are there to help you understand what it is you truly want to say. If you really believe in your ideas and can battle through yet another draft listening to genuine, helpful feedback will make your work more readable and accessible. Also quality input helps quality output. So read the very best authors in your genre. Learn from them.

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