Writing blogs have changed the way I think about writing on a daily basis. I take several breaks a day to read through my favorites on Google Reader. This weekend was more of a marathon, because I wrote up a Recommended Blogs page for this site and wanted to be sure I did in fact recommended those blogs.
While going through them I realized how consciously I now debate issues to do with writing. I also realized that too much good advice can leave one a wee bit foggy and had mini-crisis about a particular question that's been on my mind now that I'm revising my novel.
Kurt Vonnegut's advice for writing short stories always keeps things in perspective. Eight concise (witty) principles originally published in Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction. I find it so helpful that I keep it near my computer.
If something I'm working on feels wrong, thinking about simple ideas like these, can make the thought process a little less stressful.
While going through them I realized how consciously I now debate issues to do with writing. I also realized that too much good advice can leave one a wee bit foggy and had mini-crisis about a particular question that's been on my mind now that I'm revising my novel.
Kurt Vonnegut's advice for writing short stories always keeps things in perspective. Eight concise (witty) principles originally published in Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction. I find it so helpful that I keep it near my computer.
Kurt Vonnegut's Advice to Short Story Writers
(also applies to novel writers!!!)
- Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
- Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
- Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
- Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
- Start as close to the end as possible.
- Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
- Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
- Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
If something I'm working on feels wrong, thinking about simple ideas like these, can make the thought process a little less stressful.
- Does a lot of advice sometimes overwhelm you?
- Does a particular author's tips about writing speak to you?
- What do you do to try and focus when it seems like there are too many tips?
I got the idea for this post from a recent one on Gary Smailes' excellent blog Bubblecow.
Paulo Campos wrote his first novel in high school but didn't return to fiction until well into graduate school. He's since written three novels and a collection of short fiction. One of the novels and the collection seem good enough to shop for publication and are being revised. He was a recipient of Glimmer Train's "Best Start" competition in November 2009. His first published piece of short fiction will appear in the June 2010 issue of THEMA. He lives in New York with his wife and two suspect cats.
very intelligent and interesting writing on a very handsome- looking blog.
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