Every aspiring writer scours the Internet, books, and other materials for tips and watchouts as he or she seeks to lay the foundation for what will hopefully become a hugely successful ($$$$) writing career.
Some of what I've found is good; some of it is hooey!
I choose to believe that no writer actually "lies" to another writer, just that their advice may be out of context or not applicable. What worked for you may not work for me.
Tom Morrissey, a Christian suspense writer (or writer of Christian suspense, and more likely both those things), recently did a three-part post on the Charis Connection blog about the three big lies in writing. His first one hit me like a brick, "Writing is recorded thought". He posits that writing is actually recorded "sound", which is why some writing resonates with us while other writing does not. It's about the cadence of the writing when read aloud. (Think Dr. Seuss!) It's about making yone's writing "sing" so that it's lyrical quality touches the reader.
I love that!
In the short time that I've endeavored in the field of writing, I've learned a lot. I've discovered that, as in anything, some folks know a bit more of what they speak than others. There's a lot of good advice out there, and a whole lot of...well, other stuff. Each writer must sift and weigh what she hears or reads to discover what works best for her, what is harmonious with her spirit.
Tom's second biggest lie, "write what you know", also spoke to me. In a different way. Because this one feels like a fabrication to me. I understand why this advice is given, especially to new writers. The intent is to help writers pen works that have a degree of credibility. But as Tom points out, if writers only did this, there'd be no room for fantasy. (No fairy tales, no Wizard of Oz, no Harry Potter.) Rather, he suggests writing what you love.
I like that idea but I'll take it a step further. I say write what intrigues you. You'll be interested in learning about it and sharing what you've learned through your writing. And your interest will show, thereby intriguing the reader.
I won't get into his third biggest lie. It deals with art (read literary fiction) vs. popular fiction in the world of Christian literature. I believe there's room for both.
What writing advice have you heard that just didn't work for you? What's the most important piece of advice you've received?
Peace & Blessings,
Patricia
Peace & Blessings,
Patricia
Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.
