Mary Gallagher asked R.L. Maizes:

Did growing up in Queens influence your writing? What advice would you give to someone who aspires to write but has never had the courage to dive in?

R.L. Maizes I would advise someone who aspires to write to do a lot of writing and not to worry at the beginning if the work is as good as your favorite author's. It takes most writers a long time to learn to write well and the only way to do it is to develop a regular writing practice.
Many of the short stories in my collection are set in New York, so I would say, yes, growing up in New York did influence my writing.

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