Q:
I want to write books like you two do. How should I go about it?
Anne:
First of all, you can't write like us, nor should you want to. Writing is an individual accomplishment. Find a story you want to tell. Learn the mechanics of writing a novel or
novella or whatever format and genre you want to write. Read a lot of those
kinds of books so you know what sells and how to go about formulating a good
story. There are all kinds of Internet sources and workshops that will help get
you started off right. Then write, write, write. Ask for help if you need it.
Ask for someone else who writes to read your material and give you feedback.
And
write.
Dee:
Think of a story you want to tell. Make a brief outline—without a lot of
details—of what the beginning is, what the ending is and what is going to
happen in the middle. Write out characteristics about your main characters:
their looks, their siblings, if any, their jobs, what they want to do in life,
why they haven't already done it, and something they as characters would never
do (somewhere in the story you will make them do it). Read all kinds of advice
on how to write, including what Anne and I have said here, and throw it in the
trash, except for the parts that feel right to you.
And
then, to parrot my dear sister, write.
That's the only way you learn what works and doesn't.
