Category Archives: advice for writers

Tough writer talk from Margaret Atwood

Larry D. Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

“Writing is work. It’s also gambling. You don’t get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but essentially you’re on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don’t whine.”

I don’t think I’d mess with her. ;->

And geeeez, talk about someone who is not just an accomplished writer, but an accomplished person…

Meanwhile, I love what Grammarly says about her wording:

Writers: Be open to criticism, even if it’s from another species…

Buddy’s editorial vigilance can be a little annoying, but in the end, his syntax choices usually win out.

And if you’re looking for assistance beyond some beloved know-it-all pet, try these suggestions from Jeanna Bray’s guest post at LiveWriteThrive.

18 Worthy Websites for Writers

Two of the sites I pursued after reading the post:

750 Words (The site description: “It’s a daily brain dump.”)

AutoCrit

More on these sites in later posts…

Journal writers: Beware the rut!

Image by PicsbyFran from Pixabay
Stephan Pastis, creator of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip, explores the dilemma of journal writers.
And if you think you’re in a writer’s rut, check out this post by K.M. Weiland:
8 Signs You’re Stuck in a Writing Rut—and Why You Should Care
Some favorite points from her 2011 post:
— “And where stagnation lives, art dies.”
— “Challenge yourself to tell each story differently.”
— “Thanks to laziness and fear—and often obliviousness—it’s much too easy to fall into comfortable patterns…”
For those readers/writers in the U.S., have a Happy [though possibly disjointed and untraditional] Thanksgiving.
Any readers/writers from Canada? How was your October 12 celebration…complete with fall colors, right?

A bad time for writers ;->

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

Stephan Pastis, creator of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip, captures the current dilemma of ‘a few’ writers out there…

Have a great weekend…and go outside. ;->

And if you’re bored with what you’re writing–check out this three-minute read from Susan Mary Malone.

Cruising the Web for writing wisdom

from https://twitter.com/i/lists/120501776 [Writing Gurus]

https://advicetowriters.com/advice/2013/6/7/do-not-sit-and-mope.html

Image by Carlos Alvarenga from Pixabay

Seven Methods to Inspire Your Next Book

from Writing Routines

Three of the methods:

  • Start with one character in one room.
  • Create the world your story will inhabit.
  • Make new stories from tired, old pieces.

Best writing advice ever? Compare yours with this.

As I’m sure most of you know, Quora offers a wealth of knowledge and personal experience [and bias] on a wide range of subjects.

So let’s dig for some writerly wisdom…much of it coming from folks like you and me…

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-writing-advice-you-have-received

I hope you find something helpful and/or affirming.

Derek Sivers: 6 links re: a very interesting guy

Derek Sivers offers mountains of value at no cost to you.

Check out his notes on books he’s read.

More specifically, writers, here are his notes on the classic, On Writing Well.

And this blog post: $250K books sold. $250K to save lives.

Here are Goodreads comments on his book, Hell Yeah or No: What’s Worth Doing. I don’t see the book listed on Amazon, despite the Amazon link on the Goodreads page. It didn’t turn up in Apple Books either, so I think he’s simply selling it on his site. Sounds good to me.

Even better than the comments, here is his overview of the book. (Feels more like the entire book. Hey, I’m not complaining.)