Here’s to a happy, healthy, and successful writing in the New Year

The book I grabbed to read on the commuter train to DC on Monday happened to be Elizabeth George’s, Write Away.

Although I read this book several years ago, now that I have a published book under my belt and am well into starting the next one, it was fortuitous that I singled out Write Away.

I like the way Ms. George begins each chapter with a line from her journal, expressing the same doubts and frustrations that many writers have. She first presents the basics to keep in mind when writing any story – character.

She believes the foundation of any story is its characters. They are what readers will remember and will talk about. Developing character descriptions was difficult for me to do, but I must have done something right, as I am getting comments from readers that they love my characters; they can’t put the book down.

I am thankful Write Away jumped off the bookshelf and into my hand this week. I need to reread the advice that Elizabeth George imparts.