Although it is debated, some consider the "Tale of Genji" by Japanese courtier Shikibu Murasaki (11th century) to be the first romantic novel in history. It tells the story of Prince Genji, who falls in love with many different women and breaks their hearts.
Not letting the stress of the outside world and daily life block my creativity. Of course you need to be aware of what is going on, but I need to step away from it to create with a clear mind.
Don't overthink it. If you're thinking about making that character die... grab a box of tissues, then make them die. Do not hesitate. Cry if you have to. Don't spend days frustrated because you're blocked. Go for a walk, listen to music, do something else with the mindset that when you return to your writing the solution will come on its own. Don't let a negative review give you doubts, it just means it was not the right book for that reader.
I read all reviews, good or bad. I'm more interested in comments about the characters than the style, as I do not believe there is a standard style of writing. I hope that most readers will be able to identify with at least one of my characters, and have a good time with that character while they are reading the book. As for bad reviews, everyone gets them, it's not something I worry about.
When I was a child, I loved reading and could go through a 300 page novel in a week. But I could also fail to complete a 20 page reading assignment if it bored me. I think children should be given a large choice of books to pick from, to develop their curiosity. Reading should be something they love, not a chore.
I had honestly never read an e-book until I published my own, but now I see the benefits of e-books. In a world where the time and space we have is constantly shrinking, I like the idea of being able to carry my books around with me digitally. Times change and technology adapts to our lives. It's no different from the transition from hand-copied manuscripts to the first mass-printed books, to hardbacks, to paperbacks. We are constantly seeking smaller, more adaptable formats.
I am a nonbinary person, so I can relate to both sexes, but writing female characters is the hardest for me. I often have to ask myself: "what would a woman do in this situation?" If I really don't know, I ask a friend! Writing male characters comes easily for me, but I still check with male friends to make sure they are relatable.
I don't think that there is such a thing as a "fixed" art. Art is constantly reinventing itself, and that is all the beauty of it. Today's generation reads differently. We have shorter attention span and more curiosity that the generations before us. We want excitement and we want it now. We want to read something new that has not been done before.
Now and then I do incorporate something someone told me (preferably something funny), or bits and pieces of situations I have personally experienced. It keeps the story relatable.
I buy a book based on feeling, and that first "feeling" or impression is the title. If the title is not catchy, I will not pick up the book from the shelf. The cover is also important. Too many books have very vague titles and very similar covers. They might be great books, but I will probably never know because the title didn't grab my attention. If you are an author and want my attention, you need to impress me with your title first, then your cover, then your story.
I always write with music in the background, that matches the mood of the scene. I also create a playlist of songs for each character. When I am blocked, I listen to a certain character's playlist, and let their thoughts and feelings flow through me. Strong characters lead the story on their own. All I do is find the right music to bring them out, and then let them lead.
It made me very much more aware of my own writing style, what my readers like about it, and what to focus on. Also, after editing one book, you won't make the same mistakes in the next one.
I wrote my first short story in elementary school, after reading a particularly exciting novel version of the story of Aladdin. I wrote a story about a child who had been naughty and was grounded, but she escaped that night with a magical horse, who took her to a magnificent realm. I continued to write in different ways after that, sometimes fanfiction, sometimes screenplays, sometimes short stories. I wrote my first long fantasy novel at the age of 25, while writing short romance stories on the side. That was also when I started my Undertakers Inc. series, which I continued 10 years later. I always have way too many ideas in my head and they just need expression.
You need good, strong characters, with a catchy personality (whether they are funny, emo, dark, adorable...). They are the ones who lead the story. You also need to keep the reader guessing and surprise them. People do read predictable stories, but they recommend the surprising ones to their friends. Never have I ever heard someone say: "you should read this book because it's very conventional."
