It's Different For Every Writer. It's Not

Oh, My Sweet Summer Child," Old Nan Said Quietly, "what Do You Know Of Fear? Fear Is For The Winter, My Little Lord, When The Snows Fall A Hundred Feet Deep And The Ice Wind Comes Howling Out Of The North. Fear Is For The Long Night, When The Sun Hides Its Face For Years At A Time, And Little Children Are Born And Live And Die All In Darkness While The Direwolves Grow Gaunt And Hungry, And The White Walkers Move Through The Woods

Tell Robb That I'm Going To Command The Night's Watch And Keep Him Safe, So He Might As Well Take Up Needlework With The Girls And Have Mikken Melt Down His Sword For Horseshoes. - Jon Snow

The Prejudice Is Still There, But It's Breaking Down. You Have Writers Like Michael Chabon And The Yiddish Policemen's Union. He's A Writer Who's Determined To Break Down Genre Barriers. He's Done Amazing Things.

No Man Should Live Longer Than His Teeth.

I Would Also Suggest That Any Aspiring Writer Begin With Short Stories. These Days, I Meet Far Too Many Young Writers Who Try To Start Off With A Novel Right Off, Or A Trilogy, Or Even A Nine-book Series. That's Like Starting In At Rock Climbing By Tackling Mt. Everest. Short Stories Help You Learn Your Craft.