A Book of Good Advice

[Paul Whybrow]

Joe Fassler has a new book out, called Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration, and the Artistic Process.

He talked to 150 writers, noting what advice they gave on how to create a story:

I Talked to 150 Writers and Here’s the Best Advice They Had

I recognise many of the attitudes of the famous authors he interviewed.

Now I know what to ask for as my Christmas present!

 

[Rich.]

There's some good stuff here, Paul. The one that really chimed with me was no.1 from David Mitchell, author of Cloud Atlas: “You probably have time to be a halfway decent parent and one other thing.”

Although I'm not sure where that leaves my wife .

 

[MaryA]

Encouraging read, impossible in places (neglect everything else and still get bills paid?). I liked this from Neil Gaiman:

“There are no rules. Only: can you do this with confidence? Can you do it with aplomb? Can you do it with style? Can you do it with joy?”

 

[Sea-shore]

Encouraging read, impossible in places (neglect everything else and still get bills paid?). I liked this from Neil Gaiman:

“There are no rules. Only: can you do this with confidence? Can you do it with aplomb? Can you do it with style? Can you do it with joy?”

I love this quote.

I’m grateful that for writing, we can make our own rules, and mine would be:
I want to write with keen curiosity, humble honesty, with conscious contemplation and with endless enthusiasm.

How about you, my fellow Litopians?

 

[Rich.]

I’m grateful that for writing, we can make our own rules, and mine would be:
I want to write with keen curiosity, humble honesty, with conscious contemplation and with endless enthusiasm.

How about you, my fellow Litopians?

Ooh, threadjack! I like it

My rules, perhaps unfashionably among the literati, would be:

Make it entertaining. Keep 'em turning pages!

 

[Carol Rose]

One rule: Write the book that leaves them not wanting to leave the characters when the story ends.

 

[MaryA]

Oh, I'd borrow Sea-shore's rules. To which I'd add: patience.

'I want to write with keen curiosity, humble honesty, with conscious contemplation and with endless enthusiasm.'

Curiosity and patience, especially when you reach draft #15.