Goodreads asked Mary Relindes Ellis:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Mary Relindes Ellis I don't generally give advice on writing. There is no one "right" way to become a writer. Writers should come from all walks of life, from different backgrounds, with different educations (formal and informal). For instance, you don't need an MFA to become a writer - you may not need a bachelor's degree although I would say that it would help. How you tell a story is unique to you. One word of advice: if you have a group of friends reading your work, make sure that they are reading your work with your best interests in mind as you would their work. You might feel envious about their ability to write as they might feel about your ability to write but it does not serve you as a writer to make unnecessary criticism or take out your feelings of the day on that piece of work. Again, your ability to write and tell stories is unique to you. The other writer reading your work has the same uniqueness. Lastly, read every day, try to write everyday.

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