Writing Advice From Author Charles De Lint

Recently my best friend and I donned our faerie wings and drove to Seattle to take part in the first ever FaerieCon West. Wait. Did I say drove? No...we flew. You know, faerie wings and all.

The highlight of our Saturday was meeting author Charles De Lint. And I have to say, I just love him. Have I ever read any of his books? Nope. My best friend has and just raves about his work. But his presence, his personality, was amazingly genuine. He happily sat and chatted with my friend and I. Even showed us a picture of his dog!

When he signed the "few" books my friend brought of his, she told him that we were aspiring authors and asked him to add his top piece of advice to one of the books he signed. Good idea huh?

You want to know what it was?

To read a lot and write often.

Yes, the man who has been credited to pioneering the contemporary fantasy genre says if we want to be successful we need to read a lot and write often. And I believe him. My own writing has blossomed considerably since making time daily to read great novels.

So while erasing as many adverbs in your manuscript as possible is important. And cutting down on the was' and showing not telling and creating that hook, and everything else has their place...reading and writing (the basics) are what's most important. Love it. Don't you? Because at the heart of every writer is a deep yearning to read.

Here's him and I.

 

Here's my best friend Rayna, Charles, and myself.

And here's the panel of authors he sat with answering questions about writing and story building.

And I forgot to tell you: when he learned we were aspiring authors, he took down Rayna's email address and offered to send her the notes from the classes on writing he teaches at conferences! And the next day he actually sent them. 

Needless to say, I now own a book of his...with his signature. And I hope one day if I ever get to have a book published and do book signings, that I will be as genuine and friendly as Charles De Lint.

How about you? Ever meet an amazing author who just blew you away?