The Rules for Writing

There are so many ‘Insert number Rules for Writing’ articles out there.

They talk about things like sentence length, adverbs, big words vs small words, never start a book with the weather, avoid prologues…. and the list goes on and on.

Here is my own list of Rules for Writing, though in the spirit of  #6, I’m not calling them rules.

 

A Short Compendium of Helpful Hints for the Journey

1.  Daydream. Often.
2. Turn off the freaking internet. Only turn it back on if you 100% have to know the technical name for a pirate peg-leg, or the collective noun for goose larks.
3. Write the terrible first draft. So you can rewrite it and make it better.
4. Try that sentence again. Without the exclamation point.
5. Don’t write for others. Be selfish and write the best story you can for you. It’s highly likely that someone else will like it too.
6. Be kind to yourself.

 

P.S. I had a story published in The School Magazine last month, and I have another one coming up soon. It was quite the thrill! (I’m keeping that exclamation point)