blogfest: advice for new writers

today, the black dog is prowling.  i told Twitter about it, and my tweeps instantly set about cheering me up.  or, in one particular case *looks hard at @peevishpenman* bullying me to do something about it.  Carrie's suggestion was to join her blogfest. 
after a little persuasion, i guess i may have one or two things to add, with the caveat that most of the advice probably comes not from me, but from Saint Neil (better known as Neil Gaiman - thoroughly bigged up in this post on how i became a writer and got my name).

1)  write.  just write.  doesn't matter what. emails, blog posts, poems, short stories, scenes, *anything*.  if you haven't been trained, you need the practice.  even if you *have* been trained, it'll keep the writing muscles in your brain nice and limber.

2)  write about stuff you find interesting.  if *you're* not interested, your readers sure as hell won't be.

3)  read. lots.  sounds obvious, i know, but that's how i learned to write.  just by having my nose (literally) in a book from the age of seven or eight.

4)  read different stuff to what you'e used to.  you may not enjoy a lot of it, and that's fine.  but *give it a chance* before you put it down and say "this isn't for me".  you may be surprised.  also, it will give you clues as to what you in particular probably *shouldn't* be writing. (see #2)

5)  ask yourself "what if?" ALL THE TIME.  this is how stories are made.

6)  most importantly (for me, at any rate) find a support network!!!  seriously.  Twitter (where i found mine) has more value to me as a writer than i could possibly, possibly express.  for advice, opening up new genres, and a vast, limitless supply of support, encouragement and Twitterlove, i woldn't call myself a writer if it wasn't for those little 140 character messages, cheering me on from all over the world.
it gives me the warm fuzzies. ^_^

hey, carrie, whadya know?  it seems to be working! *smile*

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