How very kind of you to write such an encouraging response. Thanks so much. As far as writing goes, I know of only two things that might be useful to anyone just starting out.

First: read, read, read. Especially stories written by great writers whose work you admire. For me, that list includes the stories and essays of James Baldwin, Hemingway, and Joan Didion.

Second: write, write, write. The more you practice the better your work will become.

And there’s one more thing besides those two suggestions, which I found in a film called “Finding Forester. “ Pick up a copy of any published piece by a writer whose work you’d like to emulate, and type it out word for word, sentence by sentence. In this way, your own authorial voice may be triggered so that you can let go of the copying and begin writing on your own—without training wheels, so to speak.

BTW, “Finding Forester” is a terrific film on many levels. You might enjoy it.

Thanks again for reading my essay and for your kind response. Good luck to you.