A Goodreads user asked Maria E. Andreu:

Hello! I absolutely loved your book “Love In English”. What inspired you to become a writer? Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Maria E. Andreu Thanks for your question and thank you for sharing your impressions of Love in English.

Like most writers, I came to love books as a reader. I found so much joy and insight in books, I wanted to be part of creating that for others.

As for advice for aspiring writers, there is a lot: read everything, particularly the genre(s) you want to write, but also outside those too. Take classes, even free ones online if ones in person aren't available. Find your "people," others who are looking to work on their writing as well. Let them critique your work so you can see how what you intend to say is received by readers. (It's not always the way we think!).

But if I had to narrow it down to one bit of advice, it's this: keep going. Persevere. There will undoubtedly be rejection (especially for those looking to get "traditionally" published). There were many times when I wondered if I had what it took, if any agent would ever want to have me as a client or if an editor would ever buy a book I wrote. It's a tough business, trying to have the stories of our hearts intersect with the market, what people will buy. But it's rewarding and meaningful, so keep going. That may mean learning something new, getting a different critique, taking another class, scrapping a story you love and starting a new one... whatever the next step is, take it, then take the one after that.

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