Writing a Book

Question:

I’ve been writing a book and my friends said that they like my story. But I don’t get enough time to finish because of school. Plus my parents don’t think I could do it. And that makes me feel unsuitable to become a young writer. I need some advice.

Phyllis replied:

And you’d let any of that stop you?   We all have 24 hours in the day, and if we really want to do something, we don’t just find time for it, we make time.  Why do your parents think you can’t write a book?  Why do you listen to them?  If this is something that gives you pleasure, just do it, and keep it to yourself.   In my career as a writer, I’ve received over 10,000 rejection slips–not all at once, of course, with acceptance slips in between, but I could have given up long ago.  Do what you love.