I studied philosophy, religious studies, and English. My training was writing four full-length novels and hiring an editor to tear them apart. I had enough money to do that, and then rewriting and rewriting and rewriting.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
After university, I got a job sub-editing and for years I was a literary editor.
I took a lot of writing courses.
When I was writing my first two books I was also freelancing and teaching and doing other odd jobs.
I instantly chucked my academic ambitions and began writing fiction full-time.
I didn't do a masters in creative writing until I was 26, which is quite old, and then I found myself in New York and I needed money, so I started working full time as an editor.
I didn't make any money from my writing until much later. I published about 80 stories for nothing. I spent on literature.
I went to college, though I didn't take many writing courses.
I have written more than 100 novels and novellas since 1983 - I was first published in 1985. There was an overlap of three years with my teaching career, but finally I felt good enough about my writing career to quit teaching and write full time.
I entered the literary world, really, from outside. My entire background has been in sciences; I was a biology major in college, then went to medical school. I've never had any formal training in writing.
I was an English major in college, took a ton of creative writing courses, and was a newspaper reporter for 10 years.