The best thing I ever did for myself was to take a writing class. Clinging to the first oh-so-raw draft of my fantasy novel, I waded in among the penners of memoir and poetry and took my first public beating. In truth, they went easy on me. But I did learn things- amazing and wonderful things. Then came National Novel Writing Month and the venture into Book Country. Since I frittered away my youth (stupid law degree), I spend my writing time carefully. I make a lot of stuff up (ie, less research). I make jokes, some of which are, if I may say so, funny. I create heroes and heroines who always find a way and villains who get what they deserve. I like stories where people overcome the odds, that show people at their best in the worst circumstances, A Tale of Two Cities comes to mind. Happy endings, but also the right ending. And stories with imagination, naturally.