J. Maureen Henderson offers up some thoughtful advice on the nuts and bolts of writing, a counter to the typical approach that, as she explains, is “like an article on getting rich that only tells you how to order champagne with élan, but doesn’t mention anything about how to make money in the first place.”
For what it’s worth, I’d be even more direct: Read. A lot.
It’s like jazz. It doesn’t matter how many theory books you consume, how many improvisation lessons you take, or that you’ve started referring to your friends as “hep cats”—if you don’t listen all the time to swing, bop, cool, and even fusion, you’ll never be a pro.
So. My advice to aspiring writers? Pick up a book. And when you’re done with that one, pick up another.
