40 Rules for Writers

Lists of rules for writers abound, ranging from profound wisdom to statements of the obvious. I’ve gathered together some of my favourites here, plus a few inspiring quotes. When I start to doubt myself or just need a confidence boost, I turn to advice like this to get me moving again. I hope it helps you do the same… “Writing a book is a tremendous experience. It pays off intellectually. It clarifies your thinking. It builds credibility. It is a living engine of marketing and idea spreading, working every day to deliver your message with authority. You should write one.” – Seth Godin 1. Writers write Many people say they want to write a book but somehow never seem to get round to it. Don’t be one of those people. Write. 2. Rewrite Writing is rewriting. If a sentence makes you cringe or squirm with embarrassment – fix it. Don’t let it go thinking it doesn’t matter. It does. 3. Kill your darlings No matter how hard you work at your writing, it probably isn’t as good as you think it is. 4. Finish what you start No matter what you have to do, get to the end. Don’t keep going over and over the same little bit trying to make it perfect or you’ll never finish. 5. Never show your first draft to anyone First drafts are always shit. Always! Remember number 2 – Rewrite! 6. Read Read like crazy. Read anything and everything, and not just books you like. Bad books can inspire you to write because they motivate you to do better – but be careful not to let them influence your writing directly. Bad writing is infectious. 7. Write well Writing a bad book is just as hard as writing a good one. So you may as well write a good book. 8. Experience life Go outside, do stuff, make a mess, love, cry, rant and fight. It’s all grist for the mill and gives you something to write about. “You have to love before you can be relentless.” – Jonathan Franzen 9. Get professional feedback And listen to it. Make sure you take on board constructive criticism, but only if you believe it will improve your book. 10. Be your own best critic Be discerning about who you listen to. Don’t believe what your family or friends say about your writing; they’re rarely objective, even if they think they are. Especially if they think they are. “When people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.” – Neil Gaiman 11. Edit Cut inessential words. Cut until there’s nothing left to cut without losing meaning. 12. Be professional Study your craft, and practise. Remember number 1 – Writers write! 13. Call yourself a writer This applies even if you’re not yet published. Calling yourself a writer encourages you to take yourself seriously, and eventually others will agree. 14. Be specific And accurate with the facts. Do your research, but not too much. Resist the temptation to put all your research on the page. 15. Trust the reader Never talk down to your readers or patronise them. Always assume they’re smarter than you. 16. Beware clichés Don’t be lazy. Find a better, more original way of saying what you want to say. 17. Treat writing as a job Write every day – even if it’s just a page. Make time for it. There’s no excuse for not doing it. “Few are the great spirits who did not at one time or another write in jail, in exile, in the madhouse, or at the foot of the gallows.” – Erica Jong 18. Only bad writers think their work is good Too much imagination can be a bad thing. Beware self-deception. 19. Accept the anxiety Writing never gets easier. The anxiety is never going to go away. If you start to believe you know what you’re doing – you don’t. Remember number 18! 20. Have fun If you enjoy what you write, so will your readers. 21. Don’t wait for inspiration Put the words down on the page regardless of how you feel. Be disciplined. Remember number 1 – Writers write! 22. Care Care about what you write. Write about what needs to be said and only write when you have something to say. Have a story worth telling. 23. Forget the market Don’t worry if your book will sell. Remember: nobody knows anything. Write the book you want to read. “Write whatever way you like. Fiction is made of words on a page; reality is made of something else. It doesn’t matter how ‘real’ your story is, or how ‘made up’: what matters is its necessity.” – Anne Enright 24. Be persistent Never give up. Writing well takes a long time. Getting published takes even longer. 25. Be lucky Enough said. 26. Always carry a notebook And a pen. You’ll think you can remember the brilliant idea you’ve just had, but you won’t. “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.” – Elmore Leonard 27. Forget about self-expression Or working through your demons or writing as therapy. Writing is made to be read – by someone else. Tell them a story and get yourself out of the way. 28. Read your work aloud If it doesn’t flow, fix it. When reading your work, it helps to imagine someone else wrote it. 29. Back everything up On an external hard drive or memory stick. And print out a hard copy. Don’t rely on the cloud (or your memory). 30. Go for a walk If you get stuck and don’t know what comes next, get up and walk around, do something else – but DON’T switch on the TV. 31. Stay offline Don’t have Twitter or Facebook running in the background when you’re writing. Are you reading this instead of writing? Stop it! 32. Be honest Tell the truth about life as best you can and as well as you can. 33. Enjoy solitude If you can’t handle being alone for long periods, you’re not a writer. Or perhaps you could get a dog/cat/goldfish/imaginary friend. “You’re on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don’t whine.” – Margaret Atwood 34. Send your work out Don’t sit on it and leave it languishing in a drawer because you’re scared of rejection. Don’t be a literary coward. Strive to be fearless. 35. Believe in yourself Don’t take any shit from anyone and don’t let the bastards get you down. 36. Get organised Organise your life around your writing, if you can. If not, write whenever you can. Make time. 37. Don’t quit the day job Lower your expectations. Most writers don’t earn a living from writing. Harsh, but true. “Don’t romanticise your ‘vocation’. You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no ‘writer’s lifestyle’. All that matters is what you leave on the page.” – Zadie Smith 38. Feed your imagination Trust the process and your creativity. Make space for inspiration in your life and it will feed into your writing. 39. Push beyond your limitations Stay away from your comfort zone. Being comfortable leads to mediocrity. 40. Be who you are If anyone can stop you being a writer, you’re not a writer. “Shut up and get on with it.” – Helen Simpson What are your favourite rules for writers? Share your inspiration below… More: Resources & Links for Writers