Some Writing Advice

A lot of people seem to think that deep inside themselves, they have a book. That’s great. The only question is, what are they going to do about it? Many decide early on that there’s just no chance that they will actually sit down and write the thing. Fewer fool around with writing a few pages here and there, or writing an outline. Fewer still do sit down and write their story. As a writer who has finished a full first draft, and has written one to ten pages a day, every day for almost four-hundred-fifty straight days, I want to give advice to those that would write their story.

• Write a page a day, every day. Whatever you want, two-hundred-fifty words a day total. You can write more if you want, as sometimes you will get going and won’t want to stop. For me, my characters often determine how much I write, as if they are telling me the story. To not let them finish would be to endanger their stories. I do understand that there are “Binge” writers out there, who can write tons at a time, but then take a break. That is fine ONLY if you regularly go back to writing your book. Developing the writing habit is very important.

• Join a writer’s group. If you have to drive to another city for a group, it is probably worth it. You need people regularly reading sections of your work. You need feedback. My writing has improved dramatically over my last two years in a group. Sometimes you won’t be able to find a suitable group, but that doesn’t change your need for regular feedback. Host a writer’s group of your own if you have to. I suggest avoiding groups where they want you to buy, literally buy, into a particular writing method.

• Your book, your laptop, and most people around you won’t care an ounce if you don’t write. Your story will sit there and nag you but your schedule doesn’t care, your deadline doesn’t care. It is all on you. The pain of not writing your story, the weight on your shoulders, that you are somehow not good enough to write, don’t let that stuff rule you. If you don’t want to write it, that’s fine, put it out of your mind. Writer Myke Cole said that writing is like a line of binary. On days where you write, there’s a one. On days where you don’t write, there’s a zero. THERE IS NOTHING ELSE. So, are you a writer?

• Find your sanctuary. You need a place where you can write without distraction. For me that means no people and no sound. Even an open window can distract me. I love that people want to tell me what’s going on in their lives, but I cannot write and listen at the same time. It would also be best to not have the Internet, but I can’t quite shake that. Therefore, my writing takes longer than it should. Solitude is vital.

• Outline your book. I put this fifth instead of first because a lot of people are “Discovery” writers and cannot tolerate the idea of outlining. They write as the muse leads them. However, outlining is good for finishing your book. I generally don’t outline in the strictest sense, but I do write to a framework. I know where my story is going. It has sections and an ending. That’s what outlining can give you. Sticking to it will help you finish your book, which is the important thing in the end.

• My mentor Mur Lafferty reminds me that it is okay to suck. Day after day of writing it may become clear to you that your story or your writing sucks. You may get writing feedback from a trusted friend that only re-affirms that you suck. This is okay. Suckatude will pass. The important bit is that you are writing. Yes, your story has faults. Yes, your story is derivative. Yes, some of your writing habits need work. Yes, that part of your book is awful. Now, go write. How much baseball do baseball players play before they turn pro?

• Be careful around failure. Why would you get advice on how to run your ice-cream parlor from someone whose ice-cream parlor failed badly? Why would you seek writing advice or a critique from someone who has given up writing? You don’t need to surround yourself with negativity, those that tell you how they failed.

• Reward yourself. I don’t actually do this but I know it works for some. If you’ve written substantively today, reward yourself. Have that adult beverage that you love. Play that new video game. Eat that slice of cake. Watch that awesome new show. Of course, if you haven’t written today, then you will not be having these rewards.

Right there, I am over eight hundred words. I have written today. How about you?