Things a Writer Should NEVER Do

The holidays are here, the year is ending, and resolutions are going to be made. Resolutions seem to most often involve pledges to add to or even create routines for a healthier or more desirable lifestyle. For example, my most common resolution is to lose weight and get in better shape, which involves eating better and exercising more. This year, I also want to be more creative, so I want to learn how to draw. I also want to learn how to surf. But there are also some things I never want to do … as a writer.

I love Writer’s Digest (and I really need to renew my subscription). They continuously post helpful and inspiring articles like this one by Zachary Petit. He writes about what writers SHOULD NOT do and the list offers another, more refreshing perspective of the writing life.

“Don’t assume there is any single path or playbook writers need to follow.“

Petit goes on to write, “Listen to the voices in your head, and learn to train and trust them.” That’s one aspect of my writing life I still struggle with, is learning to trust myself and my gut. Just when I think I’m feeling confident and making excellent choices pertaining to structure and voice, I’ll get constructive criticism and suggestions that seem to undermine all that. My good friend California Joe, who also traveled to Ireland for his MA and became one of my best friends in the Emerald Isle, recently told me: “But what I wanted to say is I hope you take out of this whatever is good, and whatever’s maybe not so good, I hope you take it and let it drive you instead of letting it hold you back.” I may be somewhat biased, but I think California Joe echoed Petit’s sentiments with elegance and sophistication. He’s a very, very talented writer in his own right, by the way
“Don’t try to write like your idols.“

To some extent, I don’t think this can always be helped. You are what you read, and I’m pretty sure I’ve written before about how my style mostly emulates from Stephen King. From my sophomore year of high school until I graduated from college, I read King exclusively. The only other additions to my reading catalogue came from class syllabi. I’ve expanded my reading interests since then, but in my most formative years as a writer, I read only King and was heavily and obviously influenced by him. I could have done much worse as far as influences go, and I am forever indebted to him for igniting my love of reading and writing. It’s only been very recently, likely during my time completing the MA course, that I’ve felt like I’ve started to write less like King and more like me, and my writing is better because it’s more mine.
“Don’t get too swept up in debates about outlining/not outlining, whether or not you should write what you know, whether or not you should edit as you go along or at the end.“

Really, the most important thing is that the writing gets done: plain and simple. However, I do want to say one thing about editing: it is so important! I didn’t realize how important it was until the MA. I think, for me personally, the real slog of the writing life is the editing, meaning that it is where I’ll have to do the most work. The ideas and writing come pretty easily, but I have to grind when it comes to cleaning it up and polishing it.
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when it comes to pitching something.“

I’m not the kind of writer who can be working on more than one thing at a time, but once I feel like a manuscript is ready, I do move right into the next project.
“Don’t be unnecessarily dishonest, rude, hostile.“

This is more about just being a decent human being than it is about being a writer. It’s always good to be kind, especially when networking, obviously. But this planet could use a lot less dishonesty, hostility, and rude behavior.
“Don’t ever hate someone for the feedback they give you.“

I’m still working on this. I’m going to assume I’ll always be working on this. Writing, like any art, is so subjective. What someone dislikes about my writing could be what someone loves. So unless someone is purposefully hurtful with their comments, I’ve got to let it go if the comments upset or disappoint me.
“Don’t be susceptible to the barbs of online trolls.“

Surprisingly, I’m actually pretty good at this. I can delete a comment and put it out of mind SO FAST. Never read the comments, kids.
“Don’t ever lower your guard when it comes to the basics: Good spelling, healthy mechanics, sound grammar.”

Amen. This was reiterated throughout the MA. A misplaced comma or sloppy mechanics can move your manuscript to the trash in a second. I also try to explain this to my students: that if someone doesn’t take time to really work on their writing, then why should anyone read it?
“ Don’t ever write something in an attempt to satisfy a market trend and make a quick buck.“

F. Scott Fitzgerald intimately understood this. He drank himself to death because he had to write stories for magazines to get out of debt when that genre was not his passion. You should always write what you’re obsessing over. Writing to fulfill a market trend can be as unsuccessful as it is uninspiring.
“Don’t be spiteful about another writer’s success.“

This is also something that I’m working on. This may also be something that I’ll always be working on.
“Don’t ever assume it’s easy.“

That was my biggest misconception about being an author; that it would always be as “easy” as it was when writing my first novel. But I only thought it was easy because I didn’t know anything. When you know better, you have to do better and that’s been the most challenging part of completing the MA–and progressing in my writing life–for me. It’s work. It’s work that I love, but it’s still work nonetheless.
“Don’t forget to get out once in a while.“
Petit explains this best: “Writing is a reflection of real life. It’s all too easy to sit too long at that desk and forget to live it.” This is a tightrope all writers have to walk, I think.
 “Don’t ever discount the sheer teaching power (and therapeutic goodness) of a great read.“
I’m currently stocking my TBR pile with titles recommended through the MA program. King says writers have to read and write A LOT, so author recommendations are also titles I take seriously.
“Don’t be afraid to give up … on a particular piece.“
I start projects, but I don’t always finish them, and that’s okay. But I do save absolutely everything because you never know when different projects can inform each other and finish each other.
“But, don’t ever really give up.“
One of my colleagues and dear friends from work is also a writer and she just received a full manuscript request for a project she’d just about given up on. She was seriously considering throwing it away in a drawer and moving on. And look at her now. If Maddie has taught me anything, it’s this: Don’t you dare quit before your miracle.

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