Fuck, I really hate writing advice.

[kate]

I blocked the post on tumblr so I can't find it again, but it's been nagging at me since I read it (god, how I wish I hadn't). It was (I think) a professional editor bitching about book beginnings. It was a list of 13 things NOT to do at the beginning of the book, and at the end, I was like... "then how the fuck DO you start a book, exactly?!"

I just HATE shit like that, it's so negative, and of course most of us have, at one point or another, done everything on a list like that, and it's just so fucking discouraging. How about giving examples of what to do instead? I'd hate that too, but at least it wouldn't fucking feel so hopeless.

And I am really good at beginnings! I never have trouble starting a new story. I can't imagine what it would be like for writers who have trouble with that sort of thing reading that article.

Fuck writing advice, folks, that's what I say. Read/listen to it, maybe try it for yourself, but if it doesn't work? DON'T TIE YOURSELF IN KNOTS TRYING TO WRITE LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE.

God, I hate writing advice, SO MUCH.

Also, doing gishwhes. It's crazy fun. :D

Hi, dwircle, hi hi hi. :)

Comments

[misbegotten]

Kate's back! ::does happy dance::

[kate]

Aw, ty bb! <3333

[recessional]

The only writing advice I have ever found useful is Neil Gaiman's. And that's because his was write the thing how it needs to be written, and get mad and decide to Show Them All if you get a rejection slip.

That and him recognizing writer's block as a Thing saved me from giving up on writing before I even started, thanks to all the OTHER bs advice.

[kate]

Hahaha, I love that advice! It does sometimes work that way for me, but not always (I just can't stay mad, so I run out of steam on the "I'll show them" side of things), so basically I just do what I do and try things and ditch things as they work/stop working. It continually changes, too, my writing system now looks nothing like it did two years ago. SIGH.

[nagasvoice]

First of all, seconding that Snoopy happy dance, Kate's back, yay!
Second, the whole "things to avoid" scenario is a giveaway that it's about put-downs. Some people's advice is enough to throw you into a writing slump all by itself. This is why I approach writing advice cautiously, whether from the giving or getting end of things. Would a really sensible person use the same approach for giving advice on cooking or carpentry or beekeeping? If they're just out there kvetching about pet peeves, how useful is that?
Not much, unless you can figure out how it applies and how to change what you're doing, which is kind of the big deal about this, and somehow they haven't given you a clue on how to tackle it, have they?
What I'm curious about is what kind of label *would* signal the opposite, a productive approach. We're looking for a useful helpful attitude about things you could do, things you can try, techniques or exercises that might get you excited about things.

[kate]

<333

Yeah, I generally ignore any writing advice that's framed as 'what to avoid' but I find writing advice in general, even when NOT given with that terrible attitude, is hit or miss and needs to be taken with a bucket of salt.

[marina]

Yeah I think I know the list you mean and it was SUPER unhelpful. Like there are writing advice columns that at least TRY but that one was just satire about writing/book beginnings disguised as writing advice. And I mean I love satire, but you don't title it things like "13 ways to open your novel" or whatever and pass it around seriously.

[kate]

Exactly. The sad thing is how fast that shit spreads on tumblr, like, 'oooh grate writing advice!!1!!!' Ugh, NO.

Hi, bb, hi hi hi! <3<3<3

[bedlamsbard]

I wonder if it was the same list I've been ranting about all morning? The one that's like "only have two supporting characters!" and "don't introduce a new setting after the first quarter of the book!"

I usually try and avoid lists of writing advice, but something in this one caught my eye and I slowly scrolled back up to read it and torture myself, I guess.

[kate]

Maybe - I don't remember much except that it shot down one of my favorite openings, which is dialogue in media res. And too much description, flashback, prologue... like, how the hell ARE you supposed to start a damn novel, then? Fuck these people.

I did the same thing, too, like, why did this one catch my eye and actually make me read it? I'd love to know the answer to that question.

[bedlamsbard]

Different one, but I think I've seen the one you're talking about. It kind of makes me want to write a book using ALL THE THINGS.

I really hate negative writing advice -- like, I don't like much writing advice in general, because I find a lot of it doesn't work for me. (Because everyone is different! Different genres are different! Different forms are different! Etc., etc.) But negative writing advice is just so... *waves hands* Like, what are you even supposed to do with that? And most of it is so subjective, anyway.

[kate]

And most of it is so subjective, anyway.

THIS. Negative writing advice is basically "a list of things that annoy me personally."

Well, good for you. Fuck off and read something else, then.

[china_shop]

I don't remember much except that it shot down one of my favorite openings, which is dialogue in media res

That's one of my favs too. I don't tumblr, so I haven't come across the list, but on the basis of that alone, I spit in its general direction.

*waves*

[kate]

Right!? Aaaaaaaaargh!

HI HI HI HI!

[adafrog]

*waves*

[kate]

Heee, hallo, you! <3

[silverflight8]

I hate that too. The last time this happened was first year - a business class - where there was a writing segment, and the instructor started talking about passive voice and how that was bad...and actually now that I think about it, it also happened in second year. ARGH. Not helpful. If you're not good at writing, saying "don't end sentences with a preposition" isn't helpful (which isn't even getting into "this rule has no meaning") and if you are, then you need piece-specific help, not generalizations.

[kate]

Yeah, writing advice is just... annoying and rarely helpful. BLARGH.