What's your best writing advice?
Denise wrote in to ask, "What's the best writing advice you've received? Can you sum up the big picture for us?"
I can try…in ten lessons:
1. There are very few great books, but every great book begins with a great idea.
2. A great idea does not constitute a great book. Having a great story to tell doesn't mean you're going to have a great book. It takes hard work to turn even a fabulous idea into a reasonable book.
3. Therefore, keep refining your craft. Take whatever steps you can to improve your writing. Don't settle for what you are. If you're really good, you'll get discovered. "Greatness will out," to borrow an old phrase.
4. Books aren't written, they are re-written. That means you're going to have to write, revise, review, and restructure. Don't think you can create a good book without hard work — you can't.
5. Read widely and write regularly. The two go hand in hand.
6. Establish a plan for your writing life. Have a time and a place to write. Write toward something. Establish writing goals. Few people move forward in the business side of any craft without some sort of plan.
7. Learn to listen. Get involved with other writers and learn from them. Ask editors for their opinions. Seek out a writing partner or group. Learn how to imitate great writers. Find a mentor. Shut up and listen for a change.
8. Face your fear: You're not the best writer on the planet. You're going to be rejected. Learn to appreciate others as better than yourself. Not writing because of fear is simply a way to protect yourself from potential failure. It's time to grow up.
9. Don't expect non-writers to understand. They won't. Learn to smile and nod a lot.
10. There is value in writing, not just in getting published. We learn about ourselves, about others, and about our world when we write. So there is value in writing something, even if you're the only one who ever sees it. If I help you publish your book, that doesn't validate your life. There are lots of jerks who published books, and lots of beautiful people who never published anything. If you're really a writer, you'll focus first on the beauty of the words.
What about you? What's your best writing advice?
17 Comments
Listen to what God places in your heart and never give up.
Thanks for the great post.
Wow. That is the best ten-list of advice I’ve heard on writing.
Great to have you back Chip and Happy New Year to you and yours!
Great post and advice Kaye.
I knew you before you published your first novel. And you have retained your sweet loving temperament.
I appreciate how you strive to help other writers.
Hey, good thoughts. Love the quote, “this ain’t no business for sissies,” Leslie. And Peter, I wholeheartedly agree — the best writers I know are always trying to improve.
Thanks for taking the time to put this down for us. I would add, “Pray for direction.” Everyone’s writing journey takes a unique path. We may shortchange our destiny when we try to emulate career moves, rather than emulating character qualities or masterful writing.
Love these, Chip. I would tell folks to find your voice. You’ll never experience the real joy of writing until you do…and this one goes with a warning. You may have spent the better part of your life trying to live down your backwoods roots and get educated only to find out you’re supposed to be writing like an uneducated hillbilly. God does indeed have a sense of humor, y’all!
I’d also add: Never give up. You will get lots of “no’s” along the way but it takes just one “yes” from the right person and you have an agent/published article/(insert goal here).
Chip, these are all great.
The one I would add to it (which is related to numbers 3, 4, and 8) is:
No matter how good you are (or think you are), you can always get better.
As always, great advice Chip.
Above my desk hangs a piece from a magazine with great advice from agent Nat Sobel, “Be tough on your writing, then be tough on getting it sold. This ain’t no business for sissies.”
Great advice!
Another great bit of advice is be careful who you take advice from. Some are only out there to get your money, not to help you. Do your research and take your time. When, and if it happens, you’ll be grateful you were patient. (Eight years isn’t that long.)
Great advice, Chip!
Rachel
Great post!
The best advice is something I read although I don’t remember the author:
“The best place to start a book is on your knees.”
Thank you, this is very encouraging. I am convinced I have a great idea, now I “just” need to keep plugging away at #2-10!
Josh Kelley
http://www.RadicallyNormal.com
What a great post, and timely too. As I begin to set my writing goals for the next year, this is a good place to start. I’m going to print this out to remind myself when things aren’t going so well, especially the sentiment of #10. Almost brought tears to my eyes. 🙂
The best writing advice I ever got was when I submitted 15 pages of my 2nd manuscript to a professional critiquing service.
“At one point, you bring me into the dog’s head. Please get a handle on POV.”
Yeah. I pretty much had no idea what I was doing. The funny part is that I really thought my stuff was great. After that critique, I spent an entire summer devouring every writing craft book known to man and I wrote my 3rd manuscript.
Which is the one that got me an agent and a book deal.
From Leslie Pietyzk, one of my mentors in my MFA program: write until something surprises you.
Thanks for sharing #10, it’s my favorite. I hope I’m not the only writer who obsessively rereads what I’ve just written for the pure enjoyment and pleasure of having accomplished it.
I’d add: Know the difference between your personal goals and professional ones.
Finishing my first novel before a certain unmentioned decade of my life, was a personal goal. I don’t have to see it in print to have achieved my goal. That frees me to pursue more professional writing goals that may never include seeing that first novel in print. But after recognizing that, I didn’t have to take rejection personally with my heart bleeding all over the place! If I can make that delineation, I can pick myself up, shake it off and keep crafting.