My biggest tip is to find your people. Find writing friends that will drag you along when you don't feel good enough, who will give you honest critiques, and who will encourage you. As an introvert, I tried for far too long by myself and I struggled. I started so many stories that I lost interest in and never finished. I didn't flourish until I found my group of writer friends.
Absolutely. I think all authors do. I love elements of realism in fiction and I love to travel. So I frequently incorporate places I've visited into my writing. I'll even throw in restaurants I've eaten at or stores I've shopped at. I love that extra layer of connection.
I did think I'd be a writer in high school, though not a novelist. I took three years of journalism classes, but I was told repeatedly that I needed to choose a different path for college if I wanted to get a good job and be able to support myself. So I ended up becoming a nurse and while it has been a rewarding career, looking back, I do wonder where I would be if I had followed my first choice.
