Goodreads asked Phil Dwyer:

What’s your advice for aspiring writers?

Phil Dwyer I'm not sure what an aspiring writer is. For me you're either a writer or you're not. If you write regularly, you're a writer. You may not be published (yet) but that doesn't mean you're not a writer. Work hard on your craft: sign up for workshops, go to readings, read (a lot), meet other writers, join writing organizations, volunteer. Read books on the craft. Be prepared for a lifetime of learning how to do this, because although it's easy to do, it's not easy to do it well. Cormac McCarthy was asked by a student once if it gets any easier. He said, "no, but it gets better." Be prepared for rejection and disappointment, because they are as certain for the writer as the sun rising in the morning. Keep going. Eventually you may learn enough that your work will resonate with other people. Above all don't write for others, write for yourself. Write what pleases you, what obsesses you. Nobody else can write from your unique perspective, so be yourself.

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