Goodreads asked Philip Dodd:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Philip Dodd Learn from the masters. Read some Classic novels. They have survived for a reason. Basically, it is because they are good tales, well told. You may feel safe only reading books by your favourite authors and certain kinds of books, but there are worlds elsewhere. Do not restrict yourself to modern literature. Go back as far as Gilgamesh, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Remember when you have finished writing your story, it is only the first draft. Leave it for a while, then write a new version, until you know it cannot be improved upon. You will then have your final draft. Think of what it means that literary agents and publishers are only interested in books that will sell not just hundreds, but thousands of copies. Study the Writers and Artists Year Book and sites on the internet concerned with writing and publishing. Enjoy being a creative person.

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