'Trust in the writing process'

 

“For several decades, I believed it was necessary to be extraordinary if you wanted to write, and since I wasn't, I gave up my ambition and settled down to a life of reading.” – Diane Setterfield

 

But like most writers, Setterfield’s enjoyment of reading eventually led her to the keyboard and success in the writing field.  Born in England on this date in 1964, Setterfield's debut novel The Thirteenth Tale became a New York Times No. 1 Bestseller and well-received BBC Television film.  To date it has been published in 38 countries and sold over 3 million copies.  

 

A native of Oxford, she studied and then taught French literature for a number of years before trying her hand at writing, keeping a diary along the way.  She said that habit not only got her into a daily writing mode but also provided grist for her writing mill.   

  

“You have to relax, write what you write.  It sounds easy but it's really, really hard. One of the things it took me longest to learn was to trust the writing process.”