Alice: What advice can you offer to other writers?
Scott: Write. Write. Write some more. Then write. If you have expectations of fame and getting rich, you will either quit very soon, or you will adjust your expectations and continue to write. It is a solitary, laborious endeavor with fleeting moments of great joy.
Reading a lot helps, too.
Be very nice to your beta readers. Treat them well. Reading an early draft is not as much work as writing it, but it can inflict the same amount of pain.
Finally, if you ever find someone who is on your wavelength and who loves to edit, then you have found it all.