Here are some great tips from authors
1. Set production goals. John Grisham wrote his first books while working 70-plus hours a week. His goal was to pen one legal- sized page every day. Stephen King writes 1,500 words every day.
2. Write because you like to write. You won’t accomplish much if you don’t like the process. Isaac Asimov claims that he likes his own work: “I can’t wait till I write something so I can read it.”
3. Write for yourself. Barbara Kingsolver offers this sound advice: “Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”
4. Write about subjects, passions and characters you care about. “Only write from your own passion, your own truth. That’s the only thing you really know about, and anything else leads you away from the pulse — yours or anyone else’s.” –Marianne Williamson
5. Devise a sensible routine. Quit when you’re tired, but don’t quit because you give up. Find your own rhythms, methods and rewards. “Always stop the day’s work when you know exactly what your next paragraph will be when you start up again the next day. It also keeps your mind ’writing’ even after you’ve put down the pen, typewriter, computer or whatever.” –William Hefferman
6. Perfect your craft. Work and rework each paragraph. Pay attention to how other writers rewrite and polish. Garrison Keillor suggests, “When in doubt, read it out loud. This helps you find deadwood and lame writing and get rid of it, which is all the more important if you use a computer. Computers seem to lead to flabby and tone-deaf writing, and we pay dearly for the convenience.”
7. Abandon your excuses. Ralph Peters -”There are no shortcuts – no substitutes for experience and hard work. Roll up those sleeves, pal!”
8. Cultivate your skills. Writing is a lifelong endeavour, a craft that can always be improved and rediscovered. “I have lost count of the times I’ve seen the flow of a story spoiled by an ugly sentence, and the times that what was printed could not possibly have been what the writer (or editor) thought was meant.” -Robert Jordon
Endorsed by Amanda Patterson and Sarah Bullen
Filed under: Creative Writing | Tagged: 8 great tips, Top Authors
This list has been helpful and inspiring, thanks. TIme to get back at the keyboard.
Wellum Hulder
http://thejunkdrawerneedles.wordpress.com
I am relatively new to writing. This is such a helpful post. I look forward to sifting through your archives.
Kindly,
Kathrin
This is a useful post. I am about to get published but I took almost 3 years to write. I wasn’t as diligent as John Grisham.