The Rules for Writing
There are so many ‘Insert number Rules for Writing’ articles out there.
T
hey 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
- Daydream. Often.
- 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.
- Write the terrible first draft. So you can rewrite it and make it better.
- Try that sentence again. Without the exclamation point.
- 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.
- 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)
jostaker.com 
I really enjoyed your ‘not’ rules. I’m still gathering the courage to enter my work in any magazine, so well done you.
It’s all a bit nerve racking isn’t it 🙂
Great post. Yes, getting rid of those exclamation marks is a kind of torture…will I, won’t I…
LOL! Yes, exactly;)
I followed rule 2 yesterday. I was surprised how often I wanted to ‘just check something’. I thought of you when I resisted 😉
Good on you for resisting. What a battle it is sometimes.