1. Read a lot. You learn from every book you read even if you don’t realise you are.
2. Remember that no one need know you are writing or needs to see what you are writing, until you let them. Unlike jogging, it happens in private. This should give you confidence!
3. Read books on how to write. They won’t turn you into a writer if you’re never going to be one but they will give you ideas of how to improve and are fun. I used to buy every one that came out. The trouble is, I always ended up convinced I couldn’t possibly be a writer.
4. Be prepared to write for a long time without getting published. Apparently it takes 10,000 hours to learn to do anything. You might be very lucky and get it right first time, but you’ll still have to learn how to do it afterwards.
5. Persevere. If you really want it, don’t give up. You learn more from your failures and rejections than you do from your successes.
Don't forget to pop back for our full interview with Katie Fforde on Friday!
