Currently I'm up to my eyeballs in correcting creative writing papers. In my spare time, besides penning novels and donning my super hero cape to save the world, I am actually a teacher at a local high school homeschool co-op. I see a lot of young writers commit the same writerly crimes, so I figured, hey, why not blast my spiel to the world at large. And so I give to you today . . .

5 Nuggets of Sage Wisdom for Wannabe Writers

Read

One of the best ways to become a great writer is to read great writing. What goes in eventually comes out, if you persevere and work at it. And don't give me that line about you being too busy to read because I'm not buying it. Shove reading into your schedule with a shoehorn if need be.

Enjoy

Stop wishing away your pre-publishing life. This is the time for you to enjoy your exploration with words. You can write whatever you feel like writing because no publisher has harnessed you with a bit and bridle yet. Run free, little stallion, and laugh at the wind in your hair.

Perseverance

Some days writing will be magic but others it will be just plain drudgery, like cleaning the toilet or vacuuming up dog hair. You just gotta do it because it needs to be done, know what I mean? Don't wait for your muse to show up because some days that muse has packed its bags for Morocco.

Focus

There are naysayers out there who will rain on your writerly parade with their negativity. Don't listen to them. Don't even look at them. Keep your eyes on the prize of your art. This is you, not them. You do you.

Finish

It's easier to start a new story when the one you're working on stalls out. Don't give in to that temptation. Finish what you start. You can't submit 14 half-finished manuscripts when the requirement is a full.

There. See? Not so hard, eh? That's right. . . you can do this writing gig. Trust me, if I can, anybody can.