Five tips from five authors that I love

I adore learning about author’s processes and how they go about writing their novels. I found these pieces of advice particularly helpful when working on my first novel:

Love writing – Dervla McTiernan

“If you love it, then it’s all worthwhile. But, if you don’t love it, you’re not going to love it once you’re published either.”

If you want to write a book, then you have to write one – Sarah Bailey  

“It’s not about finding the time, it’s about using the time you have in a different way.”

Work on your technical ability – Jane Harper

“Creative skills are like every other skill, which means that they can be improved through training and practice.”

Embrace the badness – Emma Viskic

“All first drafts are bad. Don’t be discouraged.”

Write fast, edit slow – A.L. Tait

“Get the story down at great speed in whatever time you can make to write…with a structural edit, you’re concentrating on the story, and that takes care and consideration. Give yourself room to move.”

Photo credit: Neven Krcmarek @nevenkrcmarek via Unsplash