Goodreads asked Jim Rugg:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Jim Rugg I try to demystify the creative process. For me, making comics and graphic novels and art and stories is how I make a living. That means getting up each day and treating it like I would a more traditional occupation. I sit at my desk and I write (work). I don’t rely on inspiration. Some days are easier than others for sure. But to make a living at this, I have learned to write on the days that aren’t as easy. There are a lot of tricks and strategies to do this. Designating a specific time to write is helpful. This was true when I had a day job and had to find time to write before and after work (and during my lunch hour sometimes). Having a time to write makes it easier to overcome any distractions or creative blocks. Over time, this practice will make the process more natural and the focus can become telling stories rather than waiting for inspiration.

The other advice is that you need to find readers. When I started, I could not give my stories away. That’s a hard part of this job that I did not expect. I thought that once I found a publisher, I could concentrate on making stories. But promotion is part of this business. And I love readers and feedback so it’s a bigger part of what I do than I expected. My advice is start engaging and developing your audience the same way that you develop your craft as a storyteller.

Finish stuff. Perfect is impossible. Don't let the quest for perfection keep you from finishing a story. No one is perfect. Finish your story and try to write a better story next. Then repeat.

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