I first discovered Neil Gaiman through the movie adaptation of his novel, Stardust – a movie which happens to be my favorite movie of all time. The story has it all – fantasy, adventure, romance, heart, dastardly villains, love gone wrong…oh, it’s just wonderful. After I saw the movie, I read the book (which has a very different ending and a much more melancholy feel throughout) and I fell in love all over again. A good story is a good story, and this one was simply magic.

After that I started reading all of his stuff, of course, and I discovered that not only is he an amazing and inventive writer, he’s also very open and supportive of all writers, particularly those just starting out. He’s done countless interviews discussing writing tips and strategies, and his advice is spot-on and without a lot of B.S. His main piece of advice?

Just write. Write the damn book.

Neil’s website features an FAQ with good, solid advice, and I would also recommend reading this interview from The Internet Writing Journal for something more in-depth about his writing process and a more in-depth look at his work.

I’ll leave you with this bit of brilliance – Neil discusses “where he gets his ideas.”