How To Survive Stupid Writing Advice

Plus, a Spotify List

Photo by Ludemeula Fernandes on Unsplash

I wrote about this more generally back in August, but there are a lot of new people here, so I want to make sure you all get it because it’s really important to me that you are strong and believe in yourself and there will be people who will possibly make you not do that.

Okay. Ready?

One random day in my life where I wasn’t feeling super centered, I got an Instagram message from a man selling his copyediting services and there were five incredibly obvious typos in his pitch. I’m talking about two words combined, misspelled words. Double punctuation at the end of a sentence.

It was sad.

So, there’s another guy on the internet who makes a ton of money helping other people be writers and I’m sure he’s lovely, but I find him incredibly frustrating.

Why?

He has a page all about writing advice and in that advice he has bullet points to make things simple because apparently people who want to be writers need things simple? Who knows?

But in those ten bullet points he has contradictory advice. In one bullet point he says,

Don’t be lazy. Don’t sound stupid.

In another he says,

Don’t worry about being good. Just write.

Hm.

In yet another he says,

Don’t be a perfectionist.

Photo by Mauro Shared Pictures on Unsplash

Yeah.

Look. I’m sure he’s helped a ton of people and his bullet points must have deeper meaning and insight about going with the flow and not having writing blocs, but here’s the thing. Ready?

Writing isn’t about bullet points.

Writing is about soul and depth.

Writing is about communication and building worlds through words that create image and resonance.

Let me say that again in bullet points. :)

• Writing isn’t about bullet points.

• Writing is about soul and depth.

• Writing is about communication and building worlds through words that create image and resonance.

Under the paid bit, I’m going to talk about how to survive stupid writing advice, but if you don’t have the cash to get under there let me know (because I want to help you out), but also it’s about learning and confidence.

Here’s a thing that I think is truth: Not all advice applies all the time.

Here are some quick examples of things that aren’t always right.

• Sometimes you can tell instead of tell.

• Adverbs are not meant to be completely (see that?) abolished. Adjectives, too.

• Using “said” as a dialogue tag is not boring and it isn’t always invisible.

• Sometimes your darlings shouldn’t be killed.

• Don’t worry about context, start right in the action.

Photo by Jairo Alzate on Unsplash

The thing is that sometimes writing is easy.
The thing is that sometimes writing is not... easy.

These are the days of writers. People blog. They text. They NaNoWriMo. They make content.

You are one of those people. You know that it's hard. I know that it is not easy for me to be one of those people, a writer in the days of writers and especially in these times of economic turmoil where there is a recession and entire publishing houses are restructuring, trying to stay alive.

Let me tell you something about writers in these days of writers. Sometimes when we look at a page we see the world. Sometimes when we look at a page we see hope. Sometimes when we look at a page we see nothing at all.

But even on those horrible days -- those self doubt/writer angst days -- we approach the page anyway. We lurch towards it, hands bloodied, heart attacking our ribs. We lurch towards it because we want so badly to reach out to others; we want so badly to make story; we want so badly to be heard.

Writers matter. Stories matter. You matter.

It all matters despite the economy, or maybe even more so because of it.

It all matters despite the fact that the whole world can write and blog and text, or maybe even more so because of it.

So we lurch. So we bother. So we search our mirrors and our lives. So we search in hearts and in actions and we make stories.

No matter what: We make stories.

So go on. Read and study, think and play, feel the truths that form solid hard in the gut and in the throat. Write your stories, blogs, texts, and poems and don't worry if it's Proust or gobbley gook or even if it will get published.

That's my secret advice: Just write.

You owe it to the world and the world owes it to you.

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QUICK NOTE AGAIN ABOUT CHANGES BEFORE WE HEAD INTO THE PAID-ONLY POST

The first step begins in February where I’ll post quick daily writing prompts for paid members for the month. The members will be able to share and support each other in a chat (if they are into it).

Basically, I’d love for Write Better Now and Living Happy to be a place that helps us all write a bit more confidently and joyfully while also building community.

And I’m going to share twice a week regularly (one paid post, one free post) while building out those community tools, too. If you aren’t a paid subscriber, you’ll still be able to see the top half (like now).

And beyond this paywall are some thoughts about how to deal with bad writing advice (plus links) a quick exercise, and Spotify playlist I made for you to write to.

This gaumy link is just about where you can join the chat. On free posts, you all can totally talk to me and each other in the comments, too. Sort of like other social media or old LiveJournal blogs?