Goodreads asked Shelley Burbank:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Shelley Burbank Okay, you've heard it before but I'll say it: Good writers are great readers. You have to read all the time.

But here is my spin on it: You sort of absorb what you read, so be mindful of what you are putting into your brain. Definitely read widely--experience many different genres--but be aware that the type of books on which you focus will make connections in your brain and inform your style. If you want to be a genre writer, read that genre. If you want to be a literary writer, read not only classics but also modern literary authors--the kind that win the prizes and publish short stories in The New Yorker.

When you start out, it's also perfectly normal and good to copy your favorite authors' styles. If you keep writing, you'll develop your own voice.

Last, it takes as long as it takes. I'm in my fifties. I've been writing with an eye toward publication since I was 13 or so. There are more options now, and you might break in much sooner than I did, but if you really love this work, don't fret about how long it's taking. The whole process is fulfilling. Okay, frustrating, too. But fulfilling. Enjoy the journey.

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