If you’re serious about entering the world of writing and being an author, you need to immerse yourself in the world of writing.

You need to understand who came before us, and what they did and what happened to them. You need to understand what tropes and genres are, and know how to bust those stupid myths that constantly surround us and suffocate us.

If you went to buy a house and the real estate agent knew nothing about the architecture of the home, who the designer was, or what era it was from, would you be comfortable buying a house from them? Would you think they knew what they were talking about if they stumbled over themselves?

It would be the same if a med student learned enough to be a qualified doctor, but never kept up with the latest technology, medicines, or reports.

Or if a lawyer passed the bar, but didn’t keep up with the latest laws passed or changed.

If you want to be a writer, I highly encourage you to immerse yourself in the field of writing. Not only reading books on writing for a refresher, but watching and participating in courses. I also encourage you to read books and watch documentaries about other authors. I find them highly interesting and educational, and you never what you’ll learn from them.

For me, not only do I do this, I suggest it in my writers’ group. I know the members that have passed through have no interest in it, because they have no interest in being a continual writer and author. By that I mean, writing anything past the one book they’ve written. I don’t suggest it to get my jollies; I do it because I think it’s important to learn from those who came before us, to not make the same mistakes as them, to not pull the carry-on of alcohol and drugs, but they’re clearly not interested in anything to do with the field in which they’ve entered. It’s important to learn, and important to understand and educate.

If you’re serious about being a writer, then immerse yourself in the field of writing so the next time someone brings up Austen, or Christie, or even Hemingway, Wilde, or Fitzgerald, then you will know what they’re talking about and be able to participate. You’ll even be able to start the conversations and show how knowledgeable you are and be the centre of attention. And that’s a pretty good position to be in.