Saturday, April 19, 2008

Sound advice


Some great writing advice from successful authors over at…yes you’ve guessed... The Guardian. I know you won't believe me, but I do read other stuff as well. Honest. Anyway, I particularly liked the following…

"Don't be too hard on yourself if you end up writing less well than you'd hoped. Keep going, but remember there's lots more to enjoy in life." ~ Tim Jeal

"When you finish that first manuscript and send it off to a publisher and start your second immediately. It will be infinitely better and you will have it finished by the time you get a reply about the first." ~ Reginald Hill

"Don't be afraid to fail. Failure tests you, to see if you have what it takes to see it through." ~ Markus Zusak

"Forget the spelling, forget trying to put it into chapters and the layout. Just write the story from the heart. Let it flow, warts and all." ~ Josephine Cox

"The Three Ps: practice, practice, practice. Writing is like everything else: the more you do it the better you get." ~ Iain Banks

"You should write a book as if no one you know will ever read it. Never share your book with your partner. They are the worst people to advise you." ~ Anne Fine

"Don't launch into your story until you are ready to; have a clear idea of the world you intend to create and of the characters who you intend to populate it with. " ~ Mark Mills

"Stick to it; keep persevering until you get something decent." ~ Barbara Taylor Bradford (I loved A Woman of Substance, back in the day.)

"Don’t get hung up trying to write the perfect first chapter. You'll never get it right, and by the time you get to the end of the book what you want from the first chapter will probably have changed anyway." ~ Val McDermid

"Always write as if you are talking to someone. It works." ~ Maeve Binchy

"Use your own experiences and then twist them a bit." Beryl Bainbridge

Phillip Pullman’s was my favourite, though. He says simply, “Don't. You'll never make it. You'll never earn a living. Get a decent job and forget all about it. It's a silly idea. There's no future in it."

The fact I’m ignoring such sage advice must mean I really want to do it. Which is nice.

Another, more relevant piece of advice, from me to me

“Karen. Stop reading articles about how to be a writer and Get On With It.
Capiche?

12 comments:

DAB said...

Ms C (have changed your name by deed poll (wink, wink!) (Your blog disappeared in cyberspace!)
.
Stop reading articles about how to be a writer and Get On With It.
.
Wise words seeing as you seem to be stuck on 5000 words! I stand corrected you gave me 8 words so that makes it hmmmm 5008 :) Tommox

Karen said...

tommo - Yes, I had an Odd Encounter in the library with a, er, fan so thought I'd take my full name out of the address bar.

Regarding the 5008 words, I'm embarrassed to admit that it's actually less than that at the moment as I've been re-doing it. Blushes. It WILL be going up soon though.

Jill Steeples said...

Ooh, I love inspiring words of wisdom from published writers. It's very, well .... um, inspiring.

I'll print these out and keep them to hand for those all too frequent low moments of self-doubt!

HelenMWalters said...

Stop moving your blog Mrs! I keep losing you! I like Maeve Binchy's advice. And Phillip Pullman's of course!

Lane Mathias said...

I lost you again!

Now you give us these links and I end up noseying around and read that Marina Lewycka's Tractor book was rejected 36 times and she believes that many, very good writers never get published. Oh my.
So I then have to return and read all the words of wisdom and in doing so I didn't Get On With It.
(I enjoyed reading all their words though:-)

Faye said...

I have these two little gems of wisdom taped to my computer--stolen from the blogging community. Both get at that perfectionist streak:

"Without words there is nothing." and "You can always edit, but can't edit nothing."

Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said...

Thanks for posting these, Karen. They do help.

I know Mr Orwell went to over twenty publishers before he got Animal Farm out and...he'd been published before. So we have to keep our spirits up and keep going. 'Walk on through the rain...' I'm not usually this emotional until after 6pm when the gin's kicked in but that's the power of your post :)

Mercedes. said...

words of wisdon - indeed! Keep going is the motto here. I enjoyed reading your blog, fun and full of helpful advice, keep it up Karen. By the way, aren't kids great? They tell it to you just how they see it - loser! I'd hate to find out what mine think of me. Mad, barking, crazy, and let's not forget, LOSER! Whatever!

Mercedes. said...

words of wisdon - indeed! Keep going is the motto here. I enjoyed reading your blog, fun and full of helpful advice, keep it up Karen. By the way, aren't kids great? They tell it to you just how they see it - loser! I'd hate to find out what mine think of me. Mad, barking, crazy, and let's not forget, LOSER! Whatever!

Karen said...

maddie - I like them too, although I suspect I'm secretly still hoping to find The Magical Way to Write a Bestseller!!

helenmh - I'm staying put now. It's too complicated trying to change everything anyway! I live Maeve Binchy's advice too :o)

lane - I won't disappear again - unless I'm asked to!
The fact that some good writers never get published was Very Depressing News indeed...amazing too that you can have your work rejected 36 times and not give up :o)

faye - I like the line about not being able to edit nothing...so very true!

fiona - I'm always casting about for inspiration, and it usually works :o) It is so important to keep going. When I read about all the authors who were turned down time and again, it makes you realise how big a part persistence paid in their eventual success!

mercedes - Definitely keep going - and thank you :o) Children really are great at keeping your feet on the ground...whether you want them to or not...

Yvonne said...

Great advice there, really got me all inspired!

Sarah*G* said...

you changed your url! i had you in my google reader but it wasn't coming up with anything new! wondered what was going on!