25 THINGS ABOUT BECOMING A (HAPPY) WRITER

by Justin McLachlan

http://www.justinmclachlan.com/1194/2...

1.Just write.
2.Write for an audience of one — yourself.
3.Ignore trends.
4.Take feedback, good and bad, in stride.
5.You’re allowed to suck.
6.You’re allowed to really, really suck.
7.A good editor is a gift from the gods.
8.Your friends are not your editors.
9.A writer without an editor is a ship without a sail.
10.You can do way better than tired cliches (see #9).
11.25.Stop worrying about what family and friends will think.
12.Share what you’ve written.
13.Don’t read reviews.
14.Fame is fleeting, but your words can endure.
15.Understand the difference between “writing” and “having written” — which do you really want?2
16.Know that real writing is a lot of rewriting.
17.Your voice will find you.
18.Get out of your chair and see the world.
19.A healthy body leads to a sharp mind.
20.Don’t compare yourself to other writers.
21.Set a goal, and write it down.
22.Writing is both art and craft. Craft you can learn, and then the art will come.2
23.Pain and conflict are foundational, embrace them.
24.But always have fun.
25.And always finish.