Geoff Dyer’s Top 10 Tips for Writers & Billy Wilder

In thinking of the New Year I love to revisit tips for writing and so troll the web and look at email subscriptions as I get ready to get jazzed for the new year and to re-eval my writing and take a break from editing my latest material. I do this so I can see where I am and where I am going and perhaps what I want to accomplish. I came across a post on Geoff Dyer's Top 10 Tips for Writers.

I find this post interesting and highly recommend it. There is some good advice but a few things IMHO are a bit off - such as writing non-commercial work. "Never worry about the commercial possibilities of a project. That stuff is for agents and editors to fret over—or not." Boring is boring and try telling an agent who rejects your work that boring is great. Same with commercial work. See how far that goes. They tell you right off it needs some commercial value when it comes down to it or they can't sell it.

Before I get a ton of emails telling me everyone is an artist and only what we feel like writing matters and who am I, don't bother. I'm not here to tell you what to write and what not to write but if you write non-commercial work, be prepared for a long uphill battle on trying to get it to publication, if it ever will make it. Which is OK if you want that. As both a commercial writer who makes a living at it and one who loves to write flash fiction, avant garde, short stories, and upbeat YA (yes no one wants upbeat YA that doesn't have a really dark side/super angst/love sucks/a main character dies or turns into a evil creature component to it - just check out the best sellers lists). I can tell you from personal experience, hard-to-sell fiction means you need to work twice as hard. I've pitched enough stories to know. I really believe that's why so many writers do other things to make money. So you know what? Remember the old cliche and "don't quit your day job" if you want to not worry about commercial value and even if you do, don't quit your day job until you have to (too many book tours coming up) or don't need it (like winning the lottery, inheritance, or retirement).

I do have a favorite Dyer tip, that is #7 "Have more than one idea on the go at any one time." I do that all the time. You know that point when doing laundry (or fill in the blank with another boring but necessary task) might be better than writing? That's when you start work on a new story, poem, flash fiction etc. Writing short stories and ideas down are great because of the feeling of accomplishment. These ideas or short stories can turn into a script or book manuscript later. If you need to be creative - then create and worry about that pesky editing task later.

Now if you scroll down from that same article or click here, there is a short post on Billy Wilder's tips for writing. I really identify with his pointers but first and foremost I love his #1 tip "The audience is fickle." Always remember that. It is so true.

Perhaps one of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard came from Joss Whedon (Wesleyan Alum! Yea!) when he stated his #1 piece of advice is:

1. FINISH IT
Actually finishing it is what I’m gonna put in as step one. You may laugh at this, but it’s true. I have so many friends who have written two-thirds of a screenplay, and then re-written it for about three years. Finishing a screenplay is first of all truly difficult, and secondly really liberating. Even if it’s not perfect, even if you know you’re gonna have to go back into it, type to the end. You have to have a little closure.

Check out Geoff Dyer's Top 10 Tips for Writers

SCBWI Tri-Region of So Cal Schmooze is a great group that is part of SCBWI (Society of Children's Books Writer's & Illustrators).  They have a wonderful blog and post a good deal of awesome information. I selected the November meeting because of the resources listed. So this is a site you might want to visit often if you like to write children's lit.

Submitting our work to trades, magazines, and educational resource publications.

Always carry a notebook or a digital recorder...

I was reading tips for writers on the web, which is a favorite way to get started on days I need motivation. This could be dangerous if one is apt to go down the rabbit hole and just start reading everything on the web. Fortunately I don't do that often. Anyway I sat and thought about what tip I would have for writers and realized for myself the most important thing is to be able to capture those inspirational ideas that strike me anywhere, especially away from the computer.

I do this using a technique that I learned way back in the 6th grade. I have a tendency to forget my ideas when distracted so writing them down really helps. I keep a notebook on me at all times. Today it may be a paper one (old habits die hard) or I use my iphone. I do possess an ipad but it is just not my favorite method of writing and I always seem to have my iphone on me so I use that if no notebook is around. I also get quite a few ideas while in the shower or in the car driving so that prohibits me from writing down my idea. In that case I use a voice activated recorder and just talk my idea to the recorder placed nearby.

Talking my idea to a recorder was particularly helpful when I was working on my doctorate. I would write papers and work on my dissertation while stuck in traffic in Los Angeles because it really did seem like a waste of an hour and a half in the car (that's for each way to work I might add). I used a voice activated recorder because I personally found it worked better than the iphone but use whatever fits your personal preference.

I've also written creative stories this way. Nothing is more boring that literally sitting still on the 110 in downtown Los Angeles. There is something freeing about writing a story orally. You are not inhibited by staring at the blank page on a computer screen or text that you are finding bland. The bonus to writing by speaking your story is that later when you type the tale you told you can edit it as you go. If you decide you didn't like anything you spoke into the digital recorder, just delete it.

But back to the notebook. I have lots of them filled up with ideas. There's something about having real paper to shuffle through that makes me inspired. These notebooks are great for brainstorming. For times when you need to write and are looking for inspiration or a story to flush out. Sometimes my notes are very detailed and I'm surprised I didn't work on a story sooner. Some story ideas sit in the notebook for quite a while until I can revisit them. My point is don't let those ideas pass you by. Inspiration can come anytime and anywhere. Make sure you capture it.

A site that covers so much on writing...

There is a site that covers so much on writing that I could celebrate. I direct my students that I teach tech writing to but this site can be very useful for any writer, including creative writing and writing in literature. Check out the creative writing section. You will have to scroll down a bit first. I will say that links like fiction basics, are very short and great for beginners. Since this is a University site, it is not surprising that the site is concise and focused on students. Still on other topics like Other strategies for overcoming writer's block are useful and a great addition to a university reference section. Think of this site as cliff notes for different types of writing.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/sitemap/

Words of Wisdom from Kurt Vonnegut

I like reading Kurt Vonnegut since I picked up Slaughterhouse-Five in college. Check out Kurt Vonnegut's 8 Basics of Creative Writing.  When you are reading his list and get to number 6, you'll know why George R.R. Mating does what he does when writing G.O.T.

Kurt Vonnegut 8 Basics of Creative Writing

Motivation to Write On

I thought I would discuss my personal motivation to write creatively. Now this may sound odd but I schedule creativity and have more than one project going. Probably too many but I when I am not feeling the love for a project but have scheduled creative time, I like to choose from more than one project.  I know sometimes creativity strikes at odd times - say 2 am when the world is asleep and I am not. That is not a time I  schedule creative time but I am talking about getting at least a minimum amount of writing done in a week during normal hours (which can vary according to who you are and how you work).

Now scheduling writing time comes from what I was doing a few years ago when I was pursuing a doctorate, having a full-time professional writing job, teaching two courses, and trying to have a semblance of a home life all while occasionally sneaking in some creative writing.  My schedule sounds impossible and there were a few compromises (surprisingly few) but I successfully worked full-time, received the doctorate (with a GPA to become a member of the Delta Mu Delta honor society) and taught two classes worth of students per semester. I'm telling you this not to brag, but to say "I did it and so can you!" The key to it is, don't think about it, just schedule it & do it.

First schedule time, even if it is only 30 minutes a day. Try to schedule multiple times per week to creatively write if you are seriously wanting to be a writer.  That philosophy is good for other types of writing too - I do technical writing as well and that's how I learned to do it, by practice. Don't expect that you will be an overnight sensation. I believe in a thing called the 10,000 hour rule. This means that to be an expert (or at least very proficient) you need 10,000 hours of doing something. I once did a calculation and it reminded me of my doctorate which took 5 years and at least 30 hours a week (sometimes more on holidays and vacations).

Pretty much in the end, 10,000 hours. Remember you are in it for the long haul, so schedule time. If you carve out time for the gym each week (say 4x a week for 1 hour each) you can schedule your writing time too. You won't have the crazy schedule I did and so you won't have to tightly schedule everything. I used every bit of time I had. Sometimes lunch was the only time I got 15 mins. of creative writing in during the week or waiting for an oil change at the dealer. Needless to say, I rarely watched TV during this period and was really reminded how much time is lost to bad viewing habits.

Second have material you want to work on. Not what you feel others want to see. My first fiction book didn't excite the agents I sent it to. I'm fine with that, realizing my writing has improved by experience and feedback and am in the process of sending out other books I have written (they are a different genre). Working in the entertainment industry for many years I have come to realize there isn't a sure formula for success, never-the-less I came up with one. I've never known anyone in entertainment to just fall into success by just getting a big break with no work. So called "breaks" are merely an equation (yes which I love since I am a former engineer & system admin.).

Big Break  = 

Enough Time Spent Doing + Good Luck + Love of What You Are Doing

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Tenacity + Love of the Craft

Both "loves" feeds the "tenacity" though not perfectly represented, is really important in my opinion.  Finally believe in yourself and your vision. Once you are in the schedule of it you'll find the time flies and you want to schedule more. Having multiple ideas and projects assures you have something to work on. That has been my journey.

A Quote for My Mood Today...

As is my habit, I like reading goodreads site. I saw this quote from one of my favorite books so I thought I would post it. I actually don't remember where it is in the book since I haven't read it in a while but I feel it is appropriate to my mood although I think writing is quite a bit about obsession as well...

“Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy. ...this book...is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.
Drink and be filled up.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Article on The 8 Habits of Highly Successful Young Adult Authors

I found this article and I thought it was a great reminder of paying attention to aspects of writing beyond just creating exciting sentences and characters. It also solidified some of my own thoughts, such as the use of slang.

I particularly liked the observation: "One of the enduring misconceptions about YA fiction is that it’s dumbed down, that writing for young readers means writing in a way that’s easy for them to comprehend. Cohn estimates that about 60 to 65 percent of YA fiction is written in the first person and present tense, but not because YA readers can’t handle complexity—take a look at the average high school or AP English reading lists for evidence to the contrary—but because the simplicity and immediacy of that particular style helps writers develop the voices of their characters."

Read the article in the Atlantic.