For Anyone Who Is: Just Keep Writing.

When You Write Your First Novel You Don't Really Know What You're Doing. There May Be Writers Out There Who Are Brilliant, Incisive And In Control From Their First 'once Upon A Time'. I'm Not One Of Them. Every Once Upon A Time For Me Is Another Experience Of White-water Rafting In A Leaky Inner Tube. And I Have This Theory That While The Story Council Has Its Faults, It Does Have Some Idea That If Books Are Going To Get Written, Authors Have To Be Able To Write Them.

It Was Too Important A Matter, This Talking To People, And Listening To Them, To Do It Lightly Or Often.

Say Yes, Babe, Or I'll Spill You Off Over The Wall Next Time - Got It?

Write What You Want To Read. The Person You Know Best In This World Is You. Listen To Yourself. If You Are Excited By What You Are Writing, You Have A Much Better Chance Of Putting That Excitement Over To A Reader.

If You Try To Breathe Water, You Will Not Turn Into A Fish, You Will Drown; But Water Is Still Good To Drink.