Found Wisdom for Fiction Writers

Do something because you like it, not because you think someone somewhere will like it.

Pretty words do not a story make.

Dig deeper than what everyone else has done 50,000 times before. Use what’s old and make it new.
Give your story heart.

Sometimes every tool in the box must be tried before you find the right fit.

It’s OK not to write. It will all be there when you next sit down, more enriched by your experiences in the meantime.

It’s OK not to rewrite. Sometimes the truest expression of a scene is in the first shot; examine a scene carefully before you cover gold with primer. (It is, however, quite OK to refine your gold once you’ve found it.)

It’s OK to not know what you’re going to write before you write it. You might strike a gold mine.

It’s OK to sit down and analyze a scene before you’ve finished a draft. You might find the spark that carries you the rest of the way.

When you’ve written a scene, take a look at what your characters are really doing/saying and why. This will help you find the backbone of your story and learn who your characters really are inside.

Your characters are never what they seem on the outside. As a consequence, they rarely if ever say exactly what they are thinking. Find the motivations behind their actions-their inner life-and you’ve found the core of your story.

Everything is subject to change: but listen to your gut, it’s usually right.

Sometimes the best way to gain perspective is to start at the climax (the scene that makes the story) and work backwards from there.

When you have the inner hearts of your characters in mind, you are never writing blind no matter if you know what’s coming next or not. (And sometimes the best suspense comes from your own surprise.)

It’s OK to learn the writing rules; just be aware that 90% of all good stories break them frequently and with great success.

Don’t be afraid to try what’s never been done before; most classics are born this way.

Don’t do something just because it’s never been done before. (Do it because you want to do it.)

Wisdom can come from two-year-olds and pure crap from ninety-year-olds (and vice versa). In other words: just write, don’t worry about your age!

Above all: write if you enjoy it (and don’t if you don’t)!