The Getting of Wisdom

Important! Conflict Resolution and the Role of Your Guardians

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Paul Whybrow

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Jun 20, 2015
Cornwall, UK
There are a million writing advice sites online—actually, 436,000,000 if you search Google—everybody knows what you should be doing as a writer, (though, the easiest thing to do in the world is live someone else's life!).

Here are three things that I've learned, and which I frequently remind myself of:

1) Do It! Your story won't exist unless you write it.

Even if you don't feel in the mood for reeling off pages of creative writing, do something: jot down ideas, edit what you've already written, research facts, especially those you're sure are correct, and try looking at what you've penned from the point of view of another character—which may reveal something you've forgotten to mention.

Writing is always a long hard slog, but you'll feel better about yourself if you've typed only a few words. Mind you, thinking about writing also qualifies as writing!

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2) Don't Beat Yourself Up! Everyone is a critic, including you, but be your own ally, rather than an enemy.

Writers can be self-defeating, not believing in themselves, which isn't the way to get anything done. Face it, from the very start, you've entered into a creative act that will spawn legions of the illiterate disinterested who don't care what you've done, as well as a long line of readers who like books, but not yours! From literary agents, to book publishers, editors, publicists, marketers, book reviewers, book shop owners, ebook websites, browsing readers and readers who actually pay for your title, your book will have nasty things said about it + courtesy of the internet, the insults may well be personal.

That's the battlefield: bring bandages, you're going to get hurt!

Why inflict pain on oneself, when so many others are ready to save us the trouble?
George W. Pacaud

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
Haruki Murakami

3) Write Stuff Down! Sounds obvious, but, however you record ideas it stimulates more ideas, and there's evidence that the pen is mightier than the keyboard.

I can't imagine writing an entire novel by hand, but I do jot down ideas on pieces of card and leave them sticking out from beneath my laptop, which subtly stimulates my brain into working on the word, phrase or plot twist—more so, than if I'd simply typed it into a document on-screen.

If you don't write stuff down, there will come a time when your book is finished when you suddenly recall what you forgot to include, as the neglected detail flaps into sight like a vulture with greasy wings!

I've got dozens of folders containing notions, conversations and names for characters that may appear in future stories. It's a great way of saving time and making yourself feel good about yourself, when you rediscover a brainwave you had the year before.

Also, keep stuff! By that, I mean don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, when you're editing a manuscript. You may decide to dispense with a conversation between two characters, as being overly fussy for the thrust of your narrative, but it could be ideal for a future project.

Who's to say that great writers didn't almost ditch some of their most famous words?

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What pearls of wisdom have you removed from the oyster bed of writing?
 
There are a million writing advice sites online—actually, 436,000,000 if you search Google.....

....and yet....

Here are three things that I've learned, and which I frequently remind myself of:

1) Do It! Your story won't exist unless you write it.

Worth remembering.

Writing is always a long hard slog, but you'll feel better about yourself if you've typed only a few words. Mind you, thinking about writing also qualifies as writing!

So, what you're saying is I'm always writing.

2) Don't Beat Yourself Up! Everyone is a critic, including you, but be your own ally, rather than an enemy.

Good advice.

3) Write Stuff Down! Sounds obvious, but, however you record ideas it stimulates more ideas, and there'sevidencethat the pen is mightier than the keyboard.

Yeah. This doesn't work for me. I like the feel of a keyboard. I like being able to edit. I'm used to it. Also, when I write longhand I start to draw.

I can't imagine writing an entire novel by hand,

I know someone who does. She writes longhand in a leatherbound book. I think the pages are looseleaf -- not sure of the grade of paper. I have to restrain an urge to beg her to stop .... please stop ....

but I do jot down ideas on pieces of card and leave them sticking out from beneath my laptop, which subtly stimulates my brain into working on the word, phrase or plot twist—more so, than if I'd simply typed it into a document on-screen.

I use gokeep on my computer. I also use the postit app on my computers.

I've got dozens of folders containing notions, conversations and names for characters that may appear in future stories. It's a great way of saving time and making yourself feel good about yourself, I hen you rediscover a brainwave you had the year before.

I used to have a lot of paper. I threw it out last year.

Also, keep stuff! By that, I mean don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, when you're editing a manuscript. You may decide to dispense with a conversation between two characters, as being overly fussy for the thrust of your narrative, but it could be ideal for a future project.

Well ... yeah .... good point. I tend to be very liberal with the delete key. With words, characters, and files. It's pathological. I also like to commit to my Spring cleaning by emptying the trash bin and rebooting my computer and never looking back. Then of course .... something will come up ....

Who's to say that great writers didn't almost ditch some of their most famous words?

Well. It isn't actually possible for them to throw out their most famous words as any words which were famous are by definition .... known.

What pearls of wisdom have you removed from the oyster bed of writing?

Um. Oh. I actually do have some.

1 - Write confidently even if you aren't confident. Unless of course, your character isn't confident. Then embody their lack of confidence.
2 - Do all of your writing at the last minute. If you don't have a 'due date' or 'deadline' then make one up. Learn to enjoy the liberation of having no choice but to write what you said you would. I write my best stuff when I have no time left. The creative benefit of procrastination is underappreciated.
3 - There's no such thing as writer's block. There's time spent writing and time spent not writing. Writer's block is a monster writers inflate with a bicycle pump like it's a Christmas lawn decoration. So, my advice to people new to writing, "Don't F with your own head. Don't get in the habit of saying you're blocked."
4 - Don't be afraid to delete. Learn to enjoy deleting. Admire what's left when you're done. Most of what we write isn't gold and most of us aren't any good until we've been doing this in one way or another for forever. Think you're the exception? Okay dokay.
5 - Don't neglect language. Don't overindulge in it, as I like to do sometimes, BUT -- for the love of god -- be merciful -- and don't neglect language.

I guess I had more advice to throw out there than I thought. Towards the end there it started to feel like a wish list. I don't feel like deleting it though.
 
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Important! Conflict Resolution and the Role of Your Guardians

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