Goodreads
Goodreads asked E.M. Thomas:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

E.M. Thomas I count myself among this category, but to the extent I have any perspective, I would recommend simply committing the time to sitting down and writing. That sounds so very simplistic, but with the busy lives we all lead and with the unavoidable 24/7 connectivity we have with the world, it's far more difficult than it appears. There are only so many hours in the day, so it comes down to prioritizing writing at the expense of other activities and distractions. That doesn't always mean you need to be knocking out pages in your manuscript a day - I find that if I'm advancing the ball just a little bit in my story every day, it was productive, even if that means just a line or note about a character or plot point.

I would also explore if you're the type of person that would benefit from a structured outline prior to writing. Some people are, some people aren't, but if you're the former, there are some great templates you can find online.

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