Busting Those Writing Myths

There's hundreds of thousands of pieces of writing advice circulating the web-o-sphere. There's no possible way that you can follow all of them. Believe me, I've tried. But here's a few that I've proven are not necessary. 

All Day, Every Day: 
You don't have to write all the time. You don't have to write everyday. Writing is a talent, something that's a part of you. It's not something that's going to go away if you don't do it for a day or two. However, just like any talent, it needs to be cultivated. You will always improve. I can say that most certainly. But don't panic if you don't find the time to write for a week or you just don't have the inspiration. It'll be okay! 

Write What You Know: 
This is probably the biggest piece of baloney ever. If I only wrote what I knew, my stories and books would be SO boring. I wouldn't be writing about vampires or magic or some of the other topics my short stories are about. Stories can be based on something you're familiar with, like a friend, a place, or a concept. However, it's not restricted to that. So imagine what you don't know and write about that. 

Outlining: 
Outlining is not necessary at the start. It works for some people, but I am not one of those people. I didn't outline a single thing in my first draft of Ascension. During my time listening at book panels, I've learned that there are two types of writers: Pantsers and Planners. Pantsers write by the seat of their pants. They write first, think later. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with this. Sure, there might be holes and questions, but that's what editing's for.

One Project at a Time: 
It's taken me eight years to get Ascension published, which means that I have been writing, rewriting, editing, and tweaking for Eight. Years. If I had only spent my time on Ascension, my writing skills would be sorely lacking. I would have no short stories, articles, papers, or other drafts of books sitting in my desk drawer. It's a good thing to step away from your work. It's easy to get so wrapped up in the world you are creating, and sometimes, you need to step away and work on something else in order to fix a problem or look at your work with new eyes. 

Not all writing advice is a piece of gold. Find what works for you and go with it. And if you ever have a question, I'd love to help! Just leave me a comment or message me through my Facebook page. I'll do my very best!

Bye for Now, 
   HER