People get work for three reasons or, at least, two out of three reasons: their work is good; they’re easy to get along with; and they deliver the work on time. – Neil Gaiman, “Make Good Art”
Neil Gaiman
First, You Copy
The urge, starting out, is to copy. And that’s not a bad thing. Most of us only find our own voices after we’ve sounded like a lot of other people. – Neil Gaiman, “Make Good Art”
I’m sometimes told my writing style has a distinct sound to it. I suppose it does, but it’s taken years of writing to arrive at it. My style did not emerge fully formed from my head. It took work.
Do the Next Thing
I didn’t have a career. I just did the next thing on the list. – Neil Gaiman, “Make Good Art”
Unless you absolutely, positively know what you’re meant to do at the age of five, you’ll find yourself on a meandering course. You may have a general sense of direction, but you probably won’t be sure of the way to get to your final destination. You’ll think about things like internships and entry-level positions, some of which will get you closer to where you’re trying to get and some of which will lead to dead-ends and course corrections.
How to Make a Thing Easier to Do
If you don’t know it’s impossible, it’s easier to do. Neil Gaiman, “Make Good Art”
If you intend to write and publish a book, you have given yourself an immense challenge. You might think it’s impossible to do. You must not think that. If you hope to make your intention a reality, you must view it as something that is possible.