Most of the writing advice I've read seems to boil down to: 1) read a lot, to develop your taste, and 2) write a lot, to develop your skill. I'm solid on the first, but unlike people I think of as "real writers" (aka those people who have always known they wanted to write and started practicing as kids) I didn't start writing for fun until my twenties. Now I'm struggling to develop productive writing habits. Any tips?
Dear rkatz-rkatz,
• decide before you begin what kind of novel you are writing.
• assemble as many parts as you need to remind yourself of what this thing will be before you begin
• draft it as quickly as you can before you forget this marvelous goal
• write what the dialog is supposed to accomplish rather than fussing over perfect dialog on the first draft
• get a dog
• put all parts you need to research later in brackets [in a major city]
• remember that every novel is made in editing, not in writing. Once you have a big chunk, you can begin to chisel it into beauty.
• be stylish if you like, but remember story is king
• have fun, because otherwise, WHAT IS THE POINT
urs,
Stiefvater
