Some Writing Advice

Likely, most of you have already heard at least some of what I'm about to write. That's okay, a little reminder isn't bad to have. For those of you who haven't heard or read what I'm going to be writing about, you're free to take it with a grain of salt, in fact I encourage that. Not everyone has the same method of doing anything, writing being no exception. If everyone wrote the same, we'd have no bestsellers as nothing would peak people's interest. Everything would simply be a clone of itself. So, feel free to criticize or remain skeptical, but I do suggest that all of you at least think over, if not attempt, what I'm going to suggest. With that, I'll get to it.

Write down all ideas: It might seem stupid at the time, but it's better to have it prepared than risk losing what could have been your best work. I personally am forgetting this rule myself and I know I've lost at least two stories recently because of it.

Practice: The most obvious one there is, but not exactly easy. It is said that it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill. That's well over a year of time. To get to that level you have to dedicate time each day to your craft. It's a hard thing to do even when you're not particularly busy. One hour of typing is not always easy to find, believe me I know. Even when it is, it might not immediately come to mind and thus you lose out on it. Again, I know this problem very well. But you have got to stick to it. Part of the reason I started this blog was to help in my practicing. One blog a day means as much as thirty minutes for me and over a year that could add 100 hours to my skill. That's only one percent of mastery, but that's why you have to keep to it.

Read: Probably the single greatest thing I fail at when it comes to writing is not reading enough. Grab a book and sit down for a while. Let the words inspire you and build your style around your favorites. Don't let your bookshelves end up like mine, filled up with books you can't get yourself to read. Grab something, anything, find a comfortable place, and sit down. You don't have to finish Harry Potter in a day, but you can't certainly get through chapter one.

Be open to inspiration: Some of my favorite and best scenes from my books came off the top of my head. Run with what feels right. You don't need to have it all planned out, in fact, Bernard Cornwell, one of my favorite authors, doesn't plan out his books at all. He doesn't know the ending until he makes it. You can do the same. Let the story flow through you. Now, of course, don't just wait for inspiration to strike you, that's idiotic. You'll never get anything done. But don't be afraid to use it when it smacks you on the head.

It's about the story: People are there for the plot. Scenery is nice and character development important, but plot is what matters. Without a good story, it doesn't matter how pretty a picture you paint of the forests of Yellowstone, no one will read what you write.

Commit: This is different from practice, because this relates to publishing, if that's what you're going for. Getting published is hard, and you're going to be rejected, probably a lot. I've been rejected three times, by agents no less, not even by actually publishers. Yet I've taken them as a badge of honor because I know it's not personal. It's hard to bet on a new person. The risks are great and the potential for rewards small. Stick to it though. Keep sending out those queries letters, and make sure you're still working on your book or work while you're doing it. No reason to stop practicing or improving your work just because you're waiting for a reply.

That's all I have for now. Hopefully some of you found it helpful. If I think up anymore or any of you have ideas I'll happily add them. With that, I thank you for reading, and hope that your writing will soon sore to the tops of the bestsellers lists.