I studied professional and creative writing and editing at TAFE and university and learned how to research other people's writing and how to destruct oops deconstruct the writings of others in order to learn how to construct my own but it is the ongoing learning that has proven most valuable to me.
Every professional writer when asked what is the most valuable piece of advice they can give an up and coming writer says WRITE DAILY. For me this has meant finding reasons to write and sites such as Story a Day provide ample opportunities to jog the creative juices.
With challenges and competitions by the thousands available at the click of a mouse there is no excuse for not writing. There are many websites offering daily, weekly and monthly challenges that can fit the lifestyles of anyone who really wants to get those stories out of their heads and onto the page.
Scrolling back through my own blog pages I find I have utilised a great number of opportunities made available through the generosity which is endemic in the writing community.
This blog was my technological start with one post every year then every few months then every day at one time and now approximately weekly. I found the pace that works for me. Social media sites afforded me a world wide network of creatives and they are always sharing opportunities and from there I expanded to small press, competitions, ezines and challenges. I also joined face to face writing groups and have a circle of beta readers some I have met and some I never will. I have critique partners around the world.
If you really want to write then find the tools that work for you.
If I am making excuses then I don't really want it.
Well said.
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