This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
๏ปฟ 
First off the bat, can I say how sorry I am that these are so short and terse. I realise that itโs disappointing and that lots of people think that if they have the right pencil and the right notepad everything will fall into place with their writing, or that thereโs some great secret out there to writing a book that people have stumbled on.
If there were a computer programme that could help, or real insiderโs tips, I promise I would pass them on, but after over a decade in the business, these are the only things I have ever seen that are indubitably the way it works. Of course, it comes with the caveat that no-one should ignore the maxim, โthe harder I work, the luckier I getโ.
1. Read a lot
2. Write a lot
3. Repeat steps 1 to 3 as necessary
4. Get lucky
5. Stay lucky
I have never known a successful writer that isnโt also a complete bookworm.
But the other thing I would say is there is no reason on earth you canโt make it. Everything you needed to know about writing a story you learned in primary school. Books have very little to do with who your parents are or where you went to school, and everything to do with whether you have a story in you that can connect with other people. There is absolutely no reason why it shouldnโt be you, none at all, and never ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
Good luck, Jen. xxxxx
Jenny Colgan's latest book is MEET ME AT THE CUPCAKE CAFE.