Goodreads asked Allene Symons:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Allene Symons First, don't give up your day job. I also found that I made the most progress toward my book-length projects while not working in writing/journalism jobs. Of course, those jobs helped strengthen my writing skills, but they were not when I made much headway because I mainly depleted my writing energy at the office. I'd also say do stay with a project if you believe in it. "Water the plant" by adding to it, whether it is sections of drafts or riffs or placing snippets of ideas in a hard copy and/or digital file to return to later.Many ideas have to ripen, often the marketplace for an idea does too. If you have projects in partial form don't feel guilty; it might take an opportunity (such as current news events) to inspire you to complete the project and submit it or a proposal to a publication or agent or publisher.

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