Writing Advice: Better Fiction Writing in 10 Not So Easy Steps
1. Write
This sounds so simple that it seems stupid. But it’s not. The notion that you must be inspired to write is bunk. As is writer’s block. Ever heard of scientist’s block or plumber’s block? Of course you haven’t. Sit down and begin. Stay at it. Writing badly is better than not writing at all. Bad stuff will give you ideas for improvement. And then you’ll be on your way again. Once you get into the habit, you’ll find that you’ll soon be writing too much rather than too little.
2. Learn your craft
Learn the ins and outs of language. A thorough foundation is indispensable. Don’t think you can get by on talent alone. Study grammar, syntax, style. You must want to know how the language works. If you don’t love language, there’s no point in wanting to become a writer. If you do, the Complete Plain Words by Ernest Gowers is a great place to start. (You can find a used copy through bookfinder.com)
3. Build a vocabulary
The bigger, the better. Get dictionaries, thesauri“>thesauri, pore over them, delve into them. Never accept that you don’t know the exact meaning of a word. It’s your business to know. The more words you know, the greater your ability will be. We users of English are very fortunate. We have what is undoubtedly the best dictionary in any language. The OED. In the past you needed a yard of shelf space to store it. Now it comes on CD. Own it, even if you have to sell the family heirlooms to get the money. [oup.co.uk]
4. Learn from older masters
Newer is not automatically better. That’s always true, but especially in our field and more so nowadays, because education has been dumbed down dramatically, mainly for politically-correct reasons. Besides, there were fewer distractions in the past. Men of letters (and the occasional woman) spent almost their entire lives reading and writing. That made them very, very proficient. And even if the stuff they wrote does not appeal to you, their command of language can teach you a lot. Some giants: Livy, William Shakespeare, Samuel Johnson, Charles Dickens, Joseph Conrad, Edgar Alan Poe, Eric Blair aka George Orwell. (Most of these authors are freely available on the internet, e.g. at gutenberg.org and orwell.ru/library/index_en.
5. Brainstorm
Actively look for ideas. They’re everywhere. Newspapers, rumors, gossip, anecdotes. Books with extracts of other books are great for finding plots. Keep notes. Forget about fancy brainstorming programs. They’re a waste of time and money. A piece of paper and a pen will do just as nicely. Set aside 15 minutes a day, let your mind wander and jot down your thoughts. When you’ve filled a page, there’s bound to be something useful on it.
6. Don’t be too clever
A bit of fancy writing is okay. A happy turn of phrase, original adjunct or striking metaphor can add enormous freshness to your work. But don’t pile them up. They’ll weigh your story down.
7. Be a writer not a buffoon
Some people think that a creative profession demands odd behavior. Nonsense. Many of the greatest artists were very dull and unassuming people. They reserved their extraordinary qualities for their work. Don’t waste energy on appearances. If you happen to be odd to begin with, that’s perfectly all right. But don’t pretend.
8. Use your own voice
Write from personal experience (which may also be fantasy, as long as it is your own fantasy). Don’t try to be someone else. It cannot be done.
9. Read well
Professionally. Not as a reader but as a writer. Learn from your reading. If it makes you cheerful or sad, try to discover how the writer achieved that effect. But don’t read just before you write or you’ll automatically take over the style you’ve just been reading.
10. Learn everything
Ideally a writer should know everything he writes about. The internet offers easy access to all human knowledge. So ignorance is no longer an excuse. Unfortunately much ignorance is wilfully pursued by the incurably stupid. Studies have shown that many facts are distorted in the press. Political bias often triumphs. A right-winger will deny the dangers of global warming, a left-winger will play down the horrors of communism. A good writer will always seek the truth, if not for ethical reasons, then simply because untruths will ultimately be found out and devalue his writing.
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