tokimi | Lynn Flwelling's thoughts on writing

Ahem. The five things every aspire writer must know are:

1. Great writers are voracious, omnivorous readers.

2. Spelling, grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure—all those things that bored you most in junior high English class?—these are the tools of your trade. Learn them and use them well.

3. A first draft is just that. Revise, revise, and revise!

4. Write the story you love. You can't control whether or not anyone else will love it, but if you do, it will show in your writing. Besides, writing is hard, and a lot of the time it's boring! If you're just trying to churn out something to please what you think is market expectation, then what's the point? Love what you do; do what you love.

5. If you're thinking about becoming a writer, you're not one yet. Writers write. Don't worry about writing badly. You will. It's part of the process. Don't worry; be crappy. Some writers have to write ten bad books before they have one that can sell. Others get it on the first or second try. What's important is that you are writing, reading, getting into good writing groups, and learning how to take feedback. It's the only way you will ever get better. If you want to be a writer, write!

-- Writing the Series: An Interview with Lynn Flewelling, by Moira Allen
Copyright © 2005 Lynne Jamneck
http://www.writing-world.com/sf/flewelling2.shtml

Interesting. I like.