In 2011, at the HSW Summer Workshop, I had the lucky experience of hearing Miriam Toews speak. She gave a very simple piece of advice that has stayed with me over the last year. Miriam said, “Take yourself seriously as a writer.” That made me think of how and when I write. I no longer feel guilty about the amount of time I spend writing. When she spoke, I realized that I wanted to write for life and that nothing should stop me. It’s my passion. It was time to dedicate myself and over the last year I completed the manuscript I was working on at the time, finished a second one and am working on my third. Sometimes the simple advice is the best.