On Writing, (with apologies to Stephen King)

A number of people have asked me recently how I write. They say things like, “You know, I have always wanted to write a book, but I don’t…” And here you can fill in the blanks. Enough time, enough talent, know what to write about, know if I’m interesting enough, know if people would like my stories, know if they’d like me. So I thought I would write some of my thoughts about writing from an Everyman perspective.
These are just my ideas, not at all Gospel. I am a middle-aged guy with no degrees in literature, journalism, or creative writing. I am a husband and father first and foremost, who has a day job, and who writes detective stories at night. Nothing special going on here. But, if these ideas work for you, then by all means take what you can from them.

1. Read. Simple enough, right? But reading is where you learn what you like, and what you don’t like, in a story. It’s where you pick up on language, expand on ideas from other writers, and charge the batteries in your imagination. Read stories you enjoy. If you like mysteries, for example, read several authors to find a style and voice you can relate to. Historical romances your thing? There are some wonderful writers in that genre. The point is, if you want to write, you have to read. And now on to…

To be continued...