It’s the old joke about how you get to Carnegie Hall: practice, practice, practice.

I wasn’t a great writer to start, but with editors guiding me, I came to be a nationally recognized writer. It’s a skill one develops. Maybe a few people spring forth from the womb ready to write, but must don’t. Additionally, I was told in high school to avoid writing; my voice wasn’t suited to regurgitating a teacher’s interpretation of literature. It took getting really pissed off at a national policy to find my voice.

And finding your voice is all well and good, but that doesn’t mean you’ve yet learned anything about the craft of writing. That first year was a crucible.