Motto for life

Ten rule for writing fiction by multiple writers.

I love Neil Gaiman. He's is the most accessible when it comes to his craft. He's friendly and outgoing, and actually answers questions. Seriously when does he find time to write?

So his tips are particularly awesome. He thought up eight, but this one (his last one) really struck a cord:

"The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you're allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as for writing. But it's definitely true for writing.)"

This is indeed a rule for life and writing. I learned this from my days working at Target. If someone asked you a question, and you sounded unsure, they were more likely to get angry with you. If you sounded sure, and you said with confidence, "I don't know," people would always go, "Oh, okay."

The first tip I give anyone at work is to say it with confidence. Even if you're giving them a non-answer, people like to hear you say it like you know what you're talking about. I am always amazed that this works.


The other day, I realized that when I get writer's block, it's because I have stopped trusting myself and my ability to tell a story. I'll start writing and then stop (if I even begin), unsure of how to proceed or where to go. On strong days, I will just say "fuck it" and write whatever comes to mind freely and decide to fix it later.

There is a self assurance on those days that's almost presumptuous. When the voice of that editor hops in to pick at whatever I'm doing, I will think on those strong days, "Ah, it'll be okay. I can do anything. Even fix this trash." (And rest assured it is usually trash when I start. I'll do anything on those good days to get writing, once even writing a sex scene that would be taboo and which may never happen in the story. But it could happen, and so that gave me some insight into a character which I thought was strong, because everyone has a weakness.)



"So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it ­honestly, and tell it as best you can. I'm not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter."


And that I think I can do. Most days. Any of those other days can go to hell.