There are loads of rules for writers, ranging from profound
wisdom to statements of the obvious. I’ve gathered together some of my
favourites here, plus a few inspiring quotes. When I start to doubt myself or
just need a confidence boost, I turn to advice like this to get me moving
again. I hope it helps you do the same…
“Writing a book is a tremendous experience. It pays off intellectually. It clarifies your thinking. It builds credibility. It is a living engine of marketing and idea spreading, working every day to deliver your message with authority. You should write one.” – Seth Godin
1. Writers write.
Many people say they
want to write a book but somehow never seem to get round to it. Don’t be one of
those people. Write.
2. Rewrite.
Writing is rewriting.
If a sentence makes you cringe or squirm with embarrassment – fix it. Don’t let
it go thinking it doesn’t matter. It does.
3. Kill your darlings.
No matter how hard you
work at your writing, it probably isn’t as good as you think it is.
4. Finish what you start.
No matter what you have
to do, get to the end. Don’t keep going over and over the same little bit
trying to make it perfect or you’ll never finish.
5. Never show your first draft to anyone.
First drafts are always shit. Always! Remember number 2 –
Rewrite!
6. Read.
Read like crazy. Read anything and everything, and not just
books you like. Bad books can inspire you to write because they motivate you to
do better – but be careful not to let them influence your writing directly. Bad
writing is infectious.
7. Write well.
Writing a bad book is just as hard as writing a good one. So
you may as well write a good book.
8. Experience life.
Go outside, do stuff, make a mess, love, cry, rant and
fight. It’s all grist for the mill and gives you something to write about.
“You have to love before you can be relentless.” – Jonathan Franzen
9. Get professional
feedback.
And listen to it. Make sure you take on board constructive
criticism, but only if you believe it will improve your book.
10. Be your own best
critic.
Be discerning about who you listen to. Don’t believe what
your family or friends say about your writing; they’re rarely objective, even
if they think they are. Especially if
they think they are.
“When people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” – Neil Gaiman
11. Edit.
Cut inessential words. Cut until there’s nothing left to cut
without losing meaning.
12. Be professional.
Study your craft, and practise. Remember number 1 – Writers
write!
13. Call yourself a
writer.
This applies even if you’re not yet published. Calling
yourself a writer encourages you to take yourself seriously, and eventually
others will agree.
14. Be specific.
And accurate with the facts. Do your research, but not too
much. Resist the temptation to put all your research on the page.
15. Trust the reader.
Never talk down to your readers or patronise them. Always
assume they’re smarter than you.
16. Beware clichés.
Don’t be lazy. Find a better, more original way of saying
what you want to say.
17. Treat writing as
a job.
Write every day – even if it’s just a page. Make time for
it. There’s no excuse for not doing it.
“Few are the great spirits who did not at one time or another write in jail, in exile, in the madhouse, or at the foot of the gallows.” – Erica Jong
18. Only bad writers
think their work is good.
Too much imagination can be a bad thing. Beware self-deception.
19. Accept the
anxiety.
Writing never gets easier. The anxiety is never going to go
away. If you start to believe you
know what you’re doing – you don’t. Remember number 18!
20. Have fun.
If you enjoy what you write, so will your readers.
21. Don’t wait for
inspiration.
Put the words down on the page regardless of how you feel.
Be disciplined. Remember number 1 – Writers write!
22. Care.
Care about what you write. Write about what needs to be said
and only write when you have something to say. Have a story worth telling.
23. Forget the market.
Don’t worry if your book will sell. Remember: nobody knows
anything. Write the book you want to read.
“Write whatever way you like. Fiction is made of words on a page; reality is made of something else. It doesn’t matter how ‘real’ your story is, or how ‘made up’: what matters is its necessity.” – Anne Enright
24. Be persistent.
Never give up. Writing well takes a long time. Getting
published takes even longer.
25. Be lucky.
Enough said.
26. Always carry a
notebook.
And a pen.
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.” – Elmore Leonard
27. Forget about
self-expression.
Or working through your demons or writing as therapy.
Writing is made to be read – by someone else. Tell them a story and get
yourself out of the way.
28. Read your work
aloud.
If it doesn’t flow, fix it. When reading your work, it helps
to imagine someone else wrote it.
29. Back everything
up.
On an external hard drive or memory stick. And print out a
hard copy. Don’t rely on the cloud (or your memory).
30. Go for a walk.
If you get stuck and don’t know what comes next, get up and
walk around, do something else – but DON’T switch on the TV.
31. Stay off the
internet.
Don’t have Twitter or Facebook running in the background
when you’re writing. Are you reading this instead of writing? Stop it!
32. Be honest.
Tell the truth about life as best you can and as well as you
can.
33. Enjoy solitude.
If you can’t handle being alone for long periods, you’re not
a writer. Or perhaps you could get a dog/cat/goldfish/imaginary friend.
“You’re on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don’t whine.” – Margaret Atwood
34. Send your work
out.
Don’t sit on it and leave it languishing in a drawer because
you’re scared of rejection. Don’t be a literary coward. Strive to be fearless.
35. Believe in
yourself.
Don’t take any shit from anyone and don’t let the bastards
get you down.
36. Get organised
Organise your life around your writing, if you can. If not,
write whenever you can. Make time.
37. Don’t quit the
day job.
Lower your expectations. Most writers don’t earn a living
from writing. Harsh, but true.
“Don’t romanticise your ‘vocation’. You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no ‘writer’s lifestyle’. All that matters is what you leave on the page.” – Zadie Smith
38. Feed your
imagination.
Trust the process and your creativity. Make space for
inspiration in your life and it will feed into your writing.
39. Push beyond your
limitations.
Stay away from your comfort zone. Being comfortable leads to
mediocrity.
40. Be who you are.
If anyone can stop you being a writer, you’re not a writer.
“Shut up and get on with it.” – Helen Simpson
What are your favourite rules for writers? Share your
inspiration below…
First posted here: https://jessicadavidson.co.uk/2014/11/07/40-rules-for-writers/
