What Are Your Top 3 Pieces of Writing Advice?
*I did a blog post with this attached a while back, figured I might share it here in case it’s helpful to anyone. (^_^) 1. Don't get in your own way. ;) Seriously though, there are so many times we let our ideas get in the way of making them happen. You have to let yourself know it isn't going to be perfect the first time around. Heck, it may never be perfect, but don't let that stop you from creating art. Write as you can, let it be, get it done. Don't think about revisions as something you have to do to fix the story. Think of them as touching up, remolding the beautiful work you've already made to make it better. 2. Pursue your craft. Don't ever think that you've gotten to a place where you are as good as you're going to be. Keep working, keep learning. Nothing is owed to you, so work hard for it and earn it and you'll be amazed by what you can do. Spend time in libraries, follow your favorite writers' social medias, subscribe to a science/political/social/etc magazine, and then just write. Practice it, measure it, refine it. Always continue to learn, don't rest on your laurels, and just keep at it because the journey goes ever on and on and each new destination is beautiful. 3. Serve the story. This is something I learned recently from author Kathy Tyres, one of my favorite writers and teachers of craft. "You need to add this particular demographic to your novel." Okay, but is that what the story needs? "I really wanted this character to be a Helper, but they keep siding with the antagonist." Hey, let them side with the antagonist, see what happens. Don't force it to be something it's not. It's a middle-grade novel but someone told you the themes were too deep, dark, or complex? Kids are perceptive, smart, and don't always want Garfield comics. No matter what your or someone else's preconceived notions are, serve the story.









