Elmore Leonard once published a book called 10 Rules of Writing. A short simple to the point book of the things he felt were important. In it, he went over things like not using adverbs or detailed descriptions. But my favorite is
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it”
The Guardian published an article in 2010, Ten rules for writing fiction, with all of Elmore Leonard’s rules but they went beyond that. They also surveyed several authors of their do’s and don’ts of writing fiction. Here are just a few of my favorite.
Diana Athill: “Read it aloud to yourself because that’s the only way to be sure the rhythms of the sentences are OK.
Margaret Atwood: “You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You’ve been backstage. You’ve seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a romantic relationship, unless you want to break up.
Roddy Doyle: “Do not search amazon.co.uk for the book you haven’t written yet.
Helen Dunmore: “A problem with a piece of writing often clarifies itself if you go for a long walk.
Geoff Dyer: “Have more than one idea on the go at any one time. If it’s a choice between writing a book and doing nothing I will always choose the latter. It’s only if I have an idea for two books that I choose one rather than the other.”
Anne Enright: “Imagine that you are dying. If you had a terminal disease would you finish this book? Why not? The thing that annoys this 10-weeks-to-live self is the thing that is wrong with the book. So change it. Stop arguing with yourself. Change it. See? Easy. And no one had to die.”
Jonathan Franzen: “You see more sitting still than chasing after.”
Neil Gaiman: “Finish what you’re writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.”
PD James: “Don’t just plan to write – write. It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style.”
AL Kennedy: “Have more humility. Remember you don’t know the limits of your own abilities. Successful or not, if you keep pushing beyond yourself, you will enrich your own life – and maybe even please a few strangers.”
Hilary Mantel: “If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don’t just stick there scowling at the problem. But don’t make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people’s words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.”
Colm Toibin: “Stay in your mental pajamas all day.”
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