The Writer's Workout

Distance before revision I wrote the first draft of my first novel just out of high school, right on the cusp of 19. I was young, inspired, and profoundly enamored with writing. It all started out with just a feeling: the grief that comes with unrequited love. From this one driving emotion flourished several characters whose voices and personalities wove their way into the pages of my story.  At the time, I felt prepared. I had read my genre voraciously. I had planned the tim

Reading is important. Yeah, that’s a real shocker, I know. It’s a fundamental skill not just for writing, but for everything . For this...