Mature reference below:

Go for it.

Number one, just do it.  Just write.  It really doesn’t matter if your style is not very good right now.  If you don’t practice, you won’t get better.

I hear writing groups are good to be in, though I don’t think I’ve ever been in one myself.  I used fanfiction and fanfiction.net quite a bit just to work on my style.  Can’t really make money off it it (well not in U.S., maybe a doujinshi of sorts overseas if you can draw, too — and NO they are not all hentai (but most of them are so just keep that in mind before you look to buy)).

Try not to have a large, and I mean LARGE cast of characters.  It works for some.  I pulled off a sizable cast in AOM.  I’m trying NOT to do that for Shinigami, Megami, and Phoenix.

Priorities.

For most of you, writing cannot be your job.  So just remember what is most important to you.  See my “appears to be slow progress” on my novels?  Yes, I know I have a fan base waiting for The Age of Merrik: Rise of the New Masters and I am very happy that all of you are, but I’m in law school.  Got to finish that first.  And take a break from the AOM-verse to branch out into different genres, but I’m still working on AOM 2 and the prequel (Dark Desires).  I’m still laughing that the prequel sounds like a romance novel.  One day I hope to be laughing to the bank on that one.

Law student to law student – for those of you that apply.

Yes, being a 3L is tough, but after a while, stop whining.  This is or should be your last year.  Make the most of it.

Things I recommend watching in your spare time:

Community:  Very funny.

Warehouse 13:  Decent Science Fiction.

Spice and Wolf:  Hard to believe a story about economics (you could even call it “Secured Transactions” for us law students) and other things is THIS GOOD.

[Dear Yen Press, PLEASE finish releasing the Spice and Wolf Light Novels.  I really don’t care if you release the manga, too, just put the novels out already.  Volume 17 (the end) is finally out in Japan, so will you also stop taking so long in your translations and publications?  We don’t all have the time to learn to read Japanese.]