Goodreads asked Elisabeth Elo:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Elisabeth Elo I've thought about this a lot, and I'd say there are five things that a writer needs to succeed: knowledge, talent, hard work, persistence, luck.

First, you’ve got to read enough to know what a novel is and how it works. It helps to find a book you really like and take it apart to see how it's made, sort of the way a mechanic would take an engine apart to see how the parts fit together. I know that doesn't sound very romantic or artsy, but if you love novels, it's actually sort of fun. You ask yourself, "How did the author DO that? How did they make that transition? How did they create that impression or effect?"

Second, you’ve got to have some basic talent. Talent is different in every person. You may be a wordsmith, or a fantasist, or especially perceptive about other people, or especially observant, or maybe you just have natural storytelling ability. Whatever your innate talent is, you start there. In other words, build on your strengths, and with any luck you'll end up bringing something that’s distinctly your own to life.

Third is hard work. No need to explain this: I don’t know a single person who’s good at what they do who doesn’t work hard.

Fourth is persistence through all the rejections from agents and editors that will probably come your way. (A word of caution: Don’t put yourself out there too soon. Wait until your book is the very best it can be before you start trying to sell it because once it’s been turned down someplace you can’t go back.) I have a long list of failures and near-misses I could share with you, but you probably don't have enough time to hear them all!

Finally, luck—otherwise know as being in the right place at the right time. You can’t control this. When you've got it, it's exhilarating. When you don't, it's heartbreaking. But the more you focus on steps 1 through 4, the greater the chance that things will break your way.

Oh, I forgot one thing: The whole reason we do this is because we love it, right? That's the heart and soul of the thing. Don't let yourself lose the fun of it, ever. Love this crazy art!

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