Advice for Would-Be Writers

Some advice, for what it's worth, quoted from a recent speech of mine: "...just about everything I once knew about how to conduct a career as a professional writer has fallen by the wayside (I’m thinking of such pieces of advice as “always make sure you keep a carbon copy” and “don’t write without getting paid” – an online presence pretty much requires a lot of writing for free).  About the only advice I give any aspiring writers now that has stood the test of time is “read as much and as widely as possible” and “make writing something every day a habit.”