Do we really need more “rules for writing”? No – I’m sure we don’t. And so – here are mine:
1. Read
Becoming a writer is always based on a love for the written word. And of course you will go on reading for pleasure – but you should also read to learn. What is it about your favourite authors you like? What techniques – structural, linguistic, whatever – can you apply to your own works? In fact, you can also learn from bad writing. If you come across a passage that just doesn’t work for you, ask yourself why – and think of ways it could be improved.
2. Write the first draft as quickly as possible
Unless you’re some kind of superhuman, chances are you will be doing several rounds of editing anyway. So what you want to get from the first draft is a sense of momentum, which will be very hard to add afterwards. Don’t worry about mistakes or inconsistencies – just write. Can’t find an elegant way to phrase that sentence? Write it anyway. You’ll fix it when editing. I repeat: You will fix it when editing.
3. Stay outside the scene
You’ve probably heard the advice “show, don’t tell”, but many people find this concept a bit unclear. Unless you’re writing in the first person (and that is a completely different beast), I like to think of it this way: You’re the author – not one of the characters. Which means your job is to describe – with maximum precision – what goes on in a scene. Think of yourself as a witness giving evidence in a courtroom, relating only what happened. Any discussion of why is speculation – you can rely on your reader to figure that out.
4. Use only the words you need
Examine every sentence for excess verbiage. Could this possibly be said using fewer words (without losing the meaning)? If it can, then do. Cutting one sentence down from sixteen to fourteen words may feel like a pointless exercise, but believe me: In the long run, it will make your prose flow easier and keep the reader more engaged.
5. Read out loud
It’s a tried and tested rule that you should always read the dialogue out loud to check whether it sounds like actual humans beings talking. And of course I agree. But in fact, you’ll learn a lot by reading everything out loud. Does your prose flow easily? If you find yourself stumbling over words, that passage might need to be rephrased.
6. The rule about “said” is: There is no rule about “said”
Hardly anything can get authors arguing like the subject of speech tags. I find myself sitting firmly on the fence. Yes – endless interjections of “he said”, “she said” can feel repetitive. But I would argue that forced variation – “whispered”, “cried”, “barked”, “purred” – soon becomes a pointless exercise that does more harm than good. After all, the focus should be on what is being said – not how. On a side note: With a bit of ingenuity, you can often cut down on the number of speech tags – especially if only two characters are talking. That may save you a lot of trouble.
7. Learn to deal with criticism
We all like praise and hate negative criticism, and we’re inclined to automatically reject the latter as unproductive. But some negative reviews can actually be blessings in disguise. Take a deep breath and dare to honestly evaluate each criticism. Do they have a point? And if so, can you do better next time? Yes, critics have a way of pointing their finger where it hurts (because you already know your weak spots). But unless you learn to take a good, hard look at your own work, you will never improve as an author.
8. Learn to deal with “rules for writing”
Yes, this includes the article you’re reading right now (how meta!). Let’s face it: We all have different styles. And rules that work for one author may well be completely wrong for another. And often the truth may lie somewhere in between. Remember: All rules are just suggestion, anyway – so feel free to pick and choose.
Happy writing!