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Advice
for Aspiring Writers
Bookreporter.com,
another website from The Book Report Network has been talking to
authors since 1996. Here is a slew of advice from 75 authors who
have been through the publishing wringer and have lived to tell
us about it. Don't wilt in discouragement - instead hear what these
writers told us when we asked for their professional help.
Laurie
Halse Anderson: Read everything you can get your hands on. Be
kind to your English teachers --- they know more than you realize
(the good ones). Please don't be one of those people who just talk
about being a writer... BE a writer. Write something! And never
give up --- never, never, never, never.
Martyn
Bedford: My advice to aspiring writers is to write as much as
you can as regularly as you can --- every day, ideally. Don't wait
for the mood or the muse to strike, just write. Write because you
want to write rather than because you want to be a writer. Be original
or don't bother.
Elizabeth
Berg: Trust yourself above anyone else. Writer for yourself
first, then worry about what to do with it. Don't try to imitate
anyone else --- instead, cultivate your own unique voice. And if
you're really interested in learning what I know and I believe about
writing, take a look at a book I wrote called Escaping Into The
Open: The Art of Writing True. It's available in paperback, and
it's for anyone who wants to write for any reason. It has everything
I know and believe about the craft, and a bunch of exercises, too.
(Also, a bunch of recipes, which are really good. A woman came to
a reading the other night and told me how much she liked that book.
Then she showed me the stains she got on the page when she made
the recipe for chocolate cake. It was good, she said. And it is.)
Maeve
Binchy: I would advise anyone to write as they speak, and on
the subjects that they know about.
Judy
Blume: Don't let anybody discourage you!
Christopher
Bohjalian: Read lots and write often. And, truly, savor the
process of writing. I had amassed over 250 rejections before I sold
my first short story (to Cosmopolitan) when I was 24, so it's important
to enjoy those moments when you are, literally, crafting sentences.
Terry
Brooks: Don't quit the day job! I gave a talk at Maui this year
on ten things every writer should know: Read. Read. Read. Outline.
Outline. Outline. Write. Write.Write. Repeat. That's it!
Christopher
Buckley: Write. But seriously --- 1) get some reporting experience
early on. There is no better training. 2) Read Orwell's Politics
and the English Language. 3) As my writing professor, the great
William Zinsser, used to tell us, "Be grateful for every word
you can cut."
Ana
Castillo: Write, write, write! Read, read, read! Rewrite, rewrite,
rewrite! Share it with a few people you trust, who can give feedback
you'll respect. Send it out. Don't be afraid of rejection. Everyone
gets rejected and will be rejected throughout their lives at one
time or another. Do it because you must, because you want to, need
to, couldn't live with yourself otherwise. If you do it for the
fame and glory, you may fall hard on your face.
Carol
Higgins Clark: Keep writing. Join a writer's group or writing
class. If you have something that you can send out, try to get an
agent. Go to the library and look up in Literary Market Place the
list of agents, and send out letters to agents. The most important
thing is to keep writing.
Michael
Connelly: Write everyday, even if only for a few minutes. To
even accomplish a few minutes of writing you have to think about
the story and the characters. Writing everyday keeps them fresh
in your mind. When they are in your mind you are constantly working
the story. A lot of writing takes place away from the computer or
the pad and pencil. This little trick keeps that creative process
going.
Liza
Dalby: Write about what obsesses you.
Dianne
Day: My advice is to write what you most like to read. And read,
read, read. Then write, write, write. Be realistic: this is not
a glamorous business. It's damn hard work, that you do alone, in
the absence of anything like immediate feedback; when and if you
do get feedback you have to wait a long, long time for it. I shudder
to think how long you have to wait for the money! If delay of gratification
is not your thing, you'll probably be unable to tolerate the realities
of this sometimes-brutal business. There is only one good reason
to have, and to stay with, the impossible dream of being a published
writer: If once you've written that first book, whether it sold
or not, whether it got you an agent or not, you feel you can't live
without writing another. Which becomes another and another and another...because
your life seems empty when you don't have plots and characters in
your head...and eventually they have to be emptied out of your head
onto the page or else you'll explode. At least, that's the way it
is for me.
Jeffery
Deaver: There are only two rules I'd give to aspiring writers:
one, write what you enjoy reading and, two, never, ever, ever give
up; rejection is a speed bump, not a brick wall.
Chitra
Banerjee Divakaruni: I'm not sure I would presume to give advice,
but here are some things I tell myself: If writing is important
to you, you must be prepared to work hard at it, and simplify your
life so that you can give your art the time and energy it requires.
Read widely, practice for long hours. Like a potter, you must be
willing to throw away misshaped pieces. You must be willing to take
risks, try new forms, grow with each thing you write. You must try
to tell the truth as best you are able.
Andre
Dubus III: Don't outline your stories. DO NOT outline your stories.
I know some writers do this, but I think the writing process asks
us to surrender to the mysteries of the unknown. Nowhere in our
culture is this taught. You have to trust your gut, trust your characters
to take a story where it's going to go; and, more often than not,
it does that. That's my two cents.
Elizabeth
Evans: Read the best books and write as often as you possibly
can. And be respectful of your work. Give it your best shot.
Carolina
Garcia-Aguilera: Don't give up. It's not a hobby. You can't
be a weekend dabbler. You have to commit. If you can, take a few
months off from your job. Writing is not a part-time occupation.
And remember that publishing a book is not just writing --- you
have to promote the book, read the contracts. I didn't know anything
about publishing when I began. I still can't believe I've published
books. You know how writers say they don't really feel like a writer
until they see someone on an airplane reading their book. Well,
that happened to me recently at the gym. The woman on the bicycle
next to me was reading one of my books. I asked her if she liked
it. She said yes. And I decided to tell her I was the author.
Olivia
Goldsmith: Write every day. Find the hours that suit you. Sit
there until something comes. Don't judge what you write that day
--- you can do that tomorrow. And if nothing comes, you can edit
what you did before. One more thing....your agent does NOT know
more than you do, and neither does your editor. I listen to advice,
but I don't always follow it.
Barbara
Gowdy: Read everything, especially the classics and poetry.
Eavesdrop on real conversations. Don't watch too much TV, nobody
talks like TV people do. Don't ever be too attached to anything
you've written; you are the vehicle for the word, not it's creator.
Write what you're obsessed by.
Beth
Gutcheon: My advice to aspiring writers is, of course, read.
But more important, and maybe less obvious (though I've already
said it once) is, if you aren't constitutionally suited to being
alone for really long stretches, and can't handle the fairly tricky
part of the job description which reads paychecks and reality checks
may only arrive every three years, it may not be for you. How does
any writer know if she's good or merely deranged? It's not a small
problem.
Barbara
Hambly: Don't be afraid to rewrite. Have someone whose judgment
you trust read your work, and ask them if it worked for them, and
if not, why not? Finish what you start, if not every time, at least
most of the time. Tell a story about people --- don't spend all
your time setting up a world or a history or a setting.
Colin
Harrison: Be honest with yourself. If you don't have to write,
don't bother. Do something else. Really. If you do have to write,
don't give up --- ever. Be defiant in the face of rejection and
disinterest, yet be humble about the craft. It takes time. Study
the masters, learn technique and structure. You only live and write
once. In the words of Willy Loman, "the woods are burning."
Jim
Harrison: The only advice I can give to aspiring writers is
don't do it unless you're willing to give your whole life to it.
Red wine and garlic also helps.
Kathryn
Harrison: Revise.
Mo
Hayder: The usual advice: write, write, write. And, when you've
done that, write some more. Don't give up. If you're unclear about
where to pitch your voice, whether you're steering the right course
between the obtuse and the condescending, then imagine yourself
as the reader. You have to write for yourself --- if you start indulging
in writing for a market you're lost.
Alice
Hoffman: No one knows how to write a novel until it's been written.
Craig
Holden: Become a long distance runner. Read a thousand short
stories and poems, and hundreds of novels. Write every day. Marry
some money, but not too much.
Susan
Isaacs: Avoid writing classes. You have one thing as a writer:
that's your own voice. If you go into a class, the first thing they'll
tell you to do is write in the style of a famous writer. Immediately,
you're being taught to mimic. You're not doing the one thing you
have to do which is tell yourself a story, listen to the sound of
your own voice. You're writing to please the teacher instead of
yourself. What comes out of those classes is generic New Yorker
short stories, few of them good enough to be in the New Yorker.
Did Austen get a Master's? Did Dostoevsky have a writing workshop?
There's nothing wrong with these 2-day courses where you can get
a few pointers on getting published and finding an agent, but no
one can teach you how to write. All they can do is make a good writer
so self-conscious, she gets into an artistic knot who can't get
untied.
Wayne
Johnson: Try, as much as possible, to pour your life into those
things you love.
Molly
Jong-Fast: I think the advice that helped me most was just that
you have to write and read, and not take no for an answer.
Faye
Kellerman: To aspiring writers, I say, "Write, write, write"
as well as "read, read, read." Not just fiction, but nonfiction
as well. You can never get enough information . . . so many stories
out there. I just wish I had enough time.
Matthew
Kneale: Just write. Don't worry about seeming clever. If you
can find a subject that means something to you, and you can make
it mean something to the rest of the world, you're made. But be
sure enough happens.
Billie
Letts: Keep writing. Go to writer's conferences. You never know
whom you will meet at these conferences, and they are the best way
to get to know agents and publishers. And read Bird by Bird by Anne
Lamott, more than once. And believe in yourself.
Lois
Lowry: I always tell aspiring writers that reading is the best
way, maybe the only way, to learn to write well.
Greg
Mitchell: If you're going to write a book about managing in
Little League make sure you draft a few kids who are real characters,
in every sense of the word. And, as Casey Stengel said, you got
to get someone to play catcher --- or you'll get a lot of wild pitches.
Finally, keep a diary, every year, in case you get lucky.
Reggie
Nadelson: Aspiring writers? Enjoy it. And rewrite it. And read
a lot. It's the only way to learn the trade --- for my money, it's
probably more useful to read non-genre books, novels, biographies;
but if you read too many mysteries, you'll start copying and lose
your own voice.
John
J. Nance: Well, first, please forgive the "wannabe"
reference above if you're a serious student of the craft. If your
heart demands that you write regardless of economics, then write
what you want. But, if your financial interests also demand that
you seek remuneration for your efforts, then learn the basic business
realities of writing today. It's a far different business than just
fifteen years ago, and one that demands different things of you
in return for financial success. There may be a few critics and
university professors out there searching for the great American
novel, but no mainstream publishing houses have any rational mechanism
to discover such a beast, let alone publish and promote it (in the
absence of a movie deal with Robert Redford or someone in Hollywood
to wag the dog and promote the book from the movie). What the reading
public demands is entertainment, and it is the writer's responsibility
to give great value on that level as well as incorporating those
elements which are important to the writer and his or her muse,
all of which must be economically viable to a targeted market. It
sounds depressing, but the good news is the publishing world is
always looking for the next overnight success that took fifteen
years to happen. Do your homework, pay your dues, and never give
up. (Also, remember the three basic rules: Get an agent, Get an
agent, and Get an agent). And, once you're published, never forget
for a second who's paying your salary and making you a hit: Your
reader --- your customer. Be faithful to your readers, give them
an ever improving product with the respect and appreciation they
deserve, and they'll stick with you.
Joe
Queenan: Do not write anything until you are 30 as you will
have absolutely nothing to say. Spend all your time reading the
great writers. You can catch up on the writing part of things later,
and there will always be plenty of money. At least that has been
my experience.
Nora
Roberts: Write first what you would read for pleasure. If it
doesn't entertain you, it's unlikely it'll entertain anyone.
John
Saul: My advice for aspiring writers is to write, write some
more and when you're done, write some more. Just don't keep beating
on the same dead horse, rewriting the same story until all the life
has gone out of it. Don't be afraid to throw away projects that
are not working and start new ones. Make sure your story idea can
be communicated in one easy (non-run-on) sentence. When you are
done with a project contact legitimate agents any way you can. Many
bona fide writers conferences offer an unpublished and unknown author
a chance to pitch their ideas and their writings to agents and editors.
Anita
Shreve: Don't quit --- ever.
Sonya
Sones: Start writing right now! The more you do it, the better
you'll get at it. Read great writers. And read about how to write.
There are some excellent books out there on how to write, including
one by my teacher called "Poem-making." And if you can
find some other kids who are serious about writing, form a critique
group --- get together on a regular basis to read, discuss each
others work and share constructive criticism. That's what I've done
for years and it's really helped.
Suzanne
Fisher Staples: Learn to recognize and act on your gifts. Even
if it seems to be something small --- like the precise word you're
looking for --- be grateful and value it. Work hard at what you
love.
Amy
Tan: Know why you want to write, why it's necessary. No one
can tell you what those reasons are. But if you want to write only
to be published then you will likely get discouraged and quit before
that happens. An ambition for fame is not enough. The reason you
write should be substantial enough that you would continue to write
no matter what. I would also advise young writers to continue reading
prolifically. Know the difference between good writing and bad.
Be willing to revise. Go to readings by other writers and stay inspired.
Don't ask them how much money they got as an advance. Ask them what
they value in writing.
Joanna Trollope: Patience, persistence and train your powers
of observation. You can't be too old to be a writer, but you can
definitely be too young!
Alan
Watt: Advice? I don't have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing.
If you're writing, you're a writer. Write like you're a goddamn
death row inmate and the governor is out of the country and there's
no chance for a pardon. Write like you're clinging to the edge of
a cliff, white knuckles, on your last breath, and you've got just
one last thing to say, like you're a bird flying over us and you
can see everything, and please, for God's sake, tell us something
that will save us from ourselves. Take a deep breath and tell us
your deepest, darkest secret, so we can wipe our brow and know that
we're not alone. Write like you have a message from the king. Or
don't. Who knows, maybe you're one of the lucky ones who doesn't
have to.
Donald
E. Westlake: Sorry; I have no space left for advice. Just do
it.
Simone
Zelitch: Read. It's as simple as that. The more you read, the
more you will have a sense of the books you like. Then, write them.
Make friends with other writers and serious readers, and ask them
what they read. Then read it. Let yourself be influenced, and let
yourself grow out of each influence. One good way to develop your
own style is to keep a journal. I've been keeping one for 25 years.
By looking at my style there, I could often tell what I was reading,
but slowly I began to write in a way that was completely my own
and that, without a doubt, sharpened my public writing --- my fiction.
If you keep reading and writing and make contact with other writers,
you will have both a vocation and an audience. Publication is another
story; it's a crap-shoot. Persistence pays off, but don't sweat
it too much. A writer is not someone who publishes; she's someone
who writes. Keep writing.
Laura
Zigman: The best advice an aspiring writer can receive is this:
keep writing. No matter how daunting, impossible, or difficult and
painful it seems, keep doing it. It's worth it.
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