The Art of Lacing Your Shoes

With all this talk on big things and little things, it’s good to keep something straightforward in mind. The big thing is usually made up of a group of smaller things, and if you can’t manage the small things there is little likelihood of the big thing succeeding.

Let me put it more simply. Make sure you know how to write a short story before you attempt the novel. I really mean this. It is a rare exception that someone can sit down and write a novel without having learned the techniques necessary through first writing shorter pieces of fiction. It would be like going out to run a marathon without ever having run before. Something’s got to rupture. Aghs and ughs to follow.

It makes sense doesn’t it? The correct answer, by the way, is, “Yes, Mr. Howl.”
So master the short story first. And this is going to take some time. But there is no rush. People run marathons into their eighties. So get your running shoes on, and I’ll teach you how to lace them up.