Ten Rules for Writing

As stolen/inspired from Daniel Carpenter's debut blog post ( thank you Dan!).... it got me thinking about my own personal rules that I write to. I'm not saying that this is the way everyone should write, it's just a few thoughts about how I go about writing.

 In no specific order:

1. Write. And if you can't write, think about writing. And if you can't think about writing, read, read, read, read, read until even the act of making a cup of tea feels like a story.

2. Go out. See other writers, poets, performance artists. I take most of my inspiration from listening to and reading other writers work, so go out to your local events and pay attention to what is happening around you.

3. Listen. I've heard some of the most interesting, heartbreaking, funny and unbelievable stories from talking to colleagues or overhearing conversations. I once heard a drunk man on the tram telling his nephew how to survive in prison.

4. Experiment. I recently picked up a horror novel for the first time since I was fifteen and ended up writing my first horror short story. It has now become one of my favourite pieces. Don't be afraid to experiment with genre.

5. Relax. Stress is one of the biggest killers of creative inspiration. When I'm stressed I get a black block at the front of my head that stops ideas getting through. Go to the gym, take a walk, have sex, water some plants, do something active that will de-stress you but keep your mind active.

6. Ask for criticism. One of the best ways to improve is to pass your work to an honest critic who feels your work isn't at its strongest, and the test out their methods and ideas of how to improve. It may not work but it will get you reflecting on what other readers like to read.

7. Talk. Talk about films, stories, novels, articles, documentaries... Constantly be analysing and looking at storytelling tools. Me and my partner are always pulling apart a film we've just watched reflecting on what worked and why or what partronised us or what bored us. This makes me reflect on the same mistakes I make in my writing and why they don't work.

8. Submit. Apply to competitions, magazines, websites, zines. It will help you to build a portfolio of work but regularly writing to spec and the knock backs will help you improve.

9. Enjoy. Enjoy writing or what's the point?

10. Support. Your peers are not your competition, they're your colleagues. Support other writers, help them succeed, celebrate their successes. We should learn from each other and be one big happy family. (sorry for the cheese)

So yeah, that's it. Just a few thoughts about my writing patterns and what helps me. I wonder how different each persons rules are? Thank you Dan for letting me steal from your blog, and goodnight :)