Bad Advice Given to Writers
Over the last twenty or so posts, I've looked at writing- my own as well as other people's- and discussed what works and what doesn't. I don't claim to be any kind of authority; there's always an exception to the rule, and everybody has their own way of working.
There are, however, pieces of advice that are bandied about far too often, doing fledgling authors more harm than good. Today I'll examine this in detail: BAD advice regularly given to writers!
1) Write what you know
Gah, this old chestnut. While you can see the sense in it- it'll be difficult for somebody with zero knowledge of Japanese culture to write a convincing novel about the Yakuza, for example- it's extremely limiting. Very few of us have the epic lives that make good novels; most of us just bumble along in our mind numbing accountancy jobs. (That's not to say that you can't have a character who's an accountant, or a story set in that world, but people read primarily to escape their mundane jobs).
This is undoubtedly why so many stories feature writers as protagonists (I'm looking at YOU, Stephen King). While this is obviously much easier for the author, and allows the character greater flexibility and freedom to discover they are in fact the last living descendant of Odin, it can be very wearing on your poor reader. "Great- another writer writing about writing!"
Research is key. You might never have lived during the Crusades or Prohibition America, but a combination of diligent research and cracking story will help your readers forget that. You don't have to live something to write it- you're not Catherine in Basic Instinct!
2) Give up the day job/ write for a living
Although many writers dream that one day it'll be their sole source of income, it remains a fantasy for 99.9% of us. No matter how confident you are that your idea is a money spinner, don't chuck your job in just yet.
If anything, having a "real" job is a bonus. TS Eliot was friends with the American heiress Natalie Barney; she offered to pay him to give up his job at a bank. Eliot refused- he said it would make writing a chore, and meeting strangers every day was far more inspiring. Having worked as a copywriter, I agree wholeheartedly: nothing zaps creativity faster than being forced to write, and you lack fresh ideas up in your ivory tower.
3) Don't read other writers
Astonishingly this jaw dropping piece of advice is sometimes used on writing courses. How you're supposed to find out what you like, what works and what other people want to read in this self imposed bubble is a mystery. The iffy reasoning behind it is that you'll be influenced by (read: plagiarise) these other authors. Balderdash: if you read a wide selection of genres and authors, that won't happen. It's probably no accident that writers who cite this rule don't tend to be very good.
4) Buy writing guides
Don't misunderstand me: some writing guides are genuinely helpful, written by authors with a proven track record. Yet these are outnumbered by trashy how-tos clearly written to make a quick buck, offering only the most formulaic scenarios, characters etc. If you're quirky or don't fit any particular genre, give these guides a miss.
(Giveaway: reading the blurb- generally a list of the author's credentials- you'll be left thinking: "Who???")
5) Use a vanity publisher
No. Absolutely not.
Some people- particularly "traditional" authors- regard self-published authors as no better than the vanity published authors of old. Yes, I'm biased, but there's a clear difference. When you self-publish, you have control over the finished product and your earnings; if you decide it isn't for you, you can take it down, no harm done. By using Amazon you'll be exposed to a far bigger audience than most publishing houses.
Vanity publishing, on the other hand, makes authors pay an exorbitant fee for a third rate product. They'll be lucky to have the one print run to give to family and friends before it ends up as landfill. While there have been success stories, these are in the minority; it's the province of unscrupulous companies taking advantage of writers' hopes and dreams. Indeed, a common scam in the old days was to get a trusting author to send off their manuscript and money; they'd be lucky to see either again.
Remember: the publishing house should pay the author, not the other way round.
There are, however, pieces of advice that are bandied about far too often, doing fledgling authors more harm than good. Today I'll examine this in detail: BAD advice regularly given to writers!
1) Write what you know
Gah, this old chestnut. While you can see the sense in it- it'll be difficult for somebody with zero knowledge of Japanese culture to write a convincing novel about the Yakuza, for example- it's extremely limiting. Very few of us have the epic lives that make good novels; most of us just bumble along in our mind numbing accountancy jobs. (That's not to say that you can't have a character who's an accountant, or a story set in that world, but people read primarily to escape their mundane jobs).
This is undoubtedly why so many stories feature writers as protagonists (I'm looking at YOU, Stephen King). While this is obviously much easier for the author, and allows the character greater flexibility and freedom to discover they are in fact the last living descendant of Odin, it can be very wearing on your poor reader. "Great- another writer writing about writing!"
Research is key. You might never have lived during the Crusades or Prohibition America, but a combination of diligent research and cracking story will help your readers forget that. You don't have to live something to write it- you're not Catherine in Basic Instinct!
2) Give up the day job/ write for a living
Although many writers dream that one day it'll be their sole source of income, it remains a fantasy for 99.9% of us. No matter how confident you are that your idea is a money spinner, don't chuck your job in just yet.
If anything, having a "real" job is a bonus. TS Eliot was friends with the American heiress Natalie Barney; she offered to pay him to give up his job at a bank. Eliot refused- he said it would make writing a chore, and meeting strangers every day was far more inspiring. Having worked as a copywriter, I agree wholeheartedly: nothing zaps creativity faster than being forced to write, and you lack fresh ideas up in your ivory tower.
3) Don't read other writers
Astonishingly this jaw dropping piece of advice is sometimes used on writing courses. How you're supposed to find out what you like, what works and what other people want to read in this self imposed bubble is a mystery. The iffy reasoning behind it is that you'll be influenced by (read: plagiarise) these other authors. Balderdash: if you read a wide selection of genres and authors, that won't happen. It's probably no accident that writers who cite this rule don't tend to be very good.
4) Buy writing guides
Don't misunderstand me: some writing guides are genuinely helpful, written by authors with a proven track record. Yet these are outnumbered by trashy how-tos clearly written to make a quick buck, offering only the most formulaic scenarios, characters etc. If you're quirky or don't fit any particular genre, give these guides a miss.
(Giveaway: reading the blurb- generally a list of the author's credentials- you'll be left thinking: "Who???")
5) Use a vanity publisher
No. Absolutely not.
Some people- particularly "traditional" authors- regard self-published authors as no better than the vanity published authors of old. Yes, I'm biased, but there's a clear difference. When you self-publish, you have control over the finished product and your earnings; if you decide it isn't for you, you can take it down, no harm done. By using Amazon you'll be exposed to a far bigger audience than most publishing houses.
Vanity publishing, on the other hand, makes authors pay an exorbitant fee for a third rate product. They'll be lucky to have the one print run to give to family and friends before it ends up as landfill. While there have been success stories, these are in the minority; it's the province of unscrupulous companies taking advantage of writers' hopes and dreams. Indeed, a common scam in the old days was to get a trusting author to send off their manuscript and money; they'd be lucky to see either again.
Remember: the publishing house should pay the author, not the other way round.
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