A、He works full time for a community newspaper. B、He has sufficient time allocation and energy. C、He concerns over the quality o

W: What are the major challenges that you have faced in your career?
M: There are many major challenges I think most writers face. For me, frustration is one of them. I’m always wondering if my story is good enough, if my writing is good enough. Then once I sell a work and it is published, I worry that no one is going to buy the books, read them, like them. I worry about marketing and sales figures and getting out and promoting. Then there is finding enough time in a day to do all that needs to be done. I work full time as an employment law paralegal, I freelance part-time for a community newspaper, write book reviews for a web site and am married with three children. I try to schedule 40-60 book signings a year, teach creative writing classes a few times a year and give presentations to schools and clubs as often as possible. So where do I find time to write? Saturdays and Sundays I wake up at 3:00 AM. I write until about 9:00, when the family starts to stir. By this way I do not take time away from them, as I have them at mall bookstores all over the place at least once a week, almost every week, from September until May. So for me, time and energy are the most frustrating. But I wouldn’t do it, if I didn’t love it. You have to want it. Write because you love it. If it sells, that’s icing on the cake.
W: What do you advise new writers to do?
M: There is an old saying. I forget who said it. So forgive me. "If you always do what you have always done, then you will always get what you have always gotten." Those are words to live by. The key is never give up. Save every query letters. Work and rework your query letters. Those are, perhaps, more vital than the story themselves. They are the first thing and maybe the only thing an editor will look at. If the query letter is full of mistakes, the editor won’t bother with your story. If you’ve been using the same style letter for years and are getting no where—try revamping it. Look at some other letters. And keep at it. If it’s what you want, always keep at it.
W: I appreciate your help! Thanks a lot!
M: Thank you, Liana.
6. What can we learn from Philips?
7. What is the most frustrating thing to Philips?
8. Why does Philips write from 3 am to 9 am every Saturday and Sunday?
9. What is the role of the interviewer throughout the talk?
10. What is the suggestion that Philips gives to new writers?