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“I only see one rule: be clear. If I’m not clear, my whole world collapses to nothing.” -Stendhal
Good writing is an art, but it is also a science. Here are some tips and secrets that I have learned over the years. Feel free to steal and use.
1. “The secret to being boring… is to tell everything.” -Voltaire
Many novice writers, especially those trying to write fiction, spread the details and don’t stop. They describe exactly how each character looks, thinks and feels to the point of exhaustion. And every interior and exterior is described in minute detail. And let’s not forget the excessive use of adverbs. Enough. Details are important, but add just enough to paint the picture and be sparing with adjectives and adverbs. Let your reader do most of the work; it works better that way. Read some James Joyce for a good example of this. Even the long descriptions of it are the soul of economics. Consider the following passage from her story Eveline:
He sat in the window watching how the night invaded the avenue. Her head was leaning against the window curtains and in her nostrils was the smell of dusty chintz. She was tired.
2. Show and tell.
A very common writing advice says “show, don’t tell”. But there is a time to do both. I recommend alternating between the two just enough to keep the action real and engaging, but don’t get bogged down in too much expression and detail. Sometimes you just want to say “She was tired.” as Joyce does in the example mentioned above. And other times you need to elaborate.
3. The death threat must always be present.
This applies more to fiction than nonfiction. Beneath the happy exterior of all good fiction there must be something below the surface, stealthy and dangerous, waiting to strike and set the action in motion. Call it the death threat. The lack of this element is why I find young adult fiction, particularly romance, hard to read: there just isn’t enough dramatic tension to make the story compelling. So your protagonist eventually marries her boyfriend, whom she almost never married. Bully for her, but it’s not good fiction. Many pulp novels are entertaining because they obey this rule, even if it blurs the rest.
4. Always tell the truth.
All writing, fiction or nonfiction, goes off the rails when it tells lies. What do I want to say here? Certainly, fiction is about making up a story, but all good writing must contain truth. I am not referring to religious truths, but the statements made and the action of the characters must ring true. This is the most difficult principle to explain, but it is perhaps the most essential. When you write, say what you’re really thinking, and when you’re not quite sure what you’re thinking, say so. To become an adult in polite Western society, you must learn to lie. Writing is not about being polite. It’s about telling the truth. Once you knew how to tell the truth but you forgot when you grew up. Get in the habit of telling the truth now.
5. Review. And then check again.
Proofreading alone won’t make you a great writer, but you won’t write well without proofreading. Hemingway said that “the first draft of anything sucks.” I am not sure that it is necessary to say more about this principle.
6. Brevity
This is similar to principle number one but deals more with the paragraph and chapter level. Cut and remove anything that slows down your writing or adds more detail than necessary. “Kill your loved ones,” Faulkner said. Stop crying and do it.
7. Let your words play with each other. Just be careful that they don’t get hurt.
So do you want to use a big word when a small one is enough? Or do you want to use the passive voice on purpose? Sometimes that’s the right thing to do. Break some rules, but make sure you know the rules you’re breaking. Puns arise spontaneously the more you write. Let it be; do not force it. But make sure it serves the purpose of the entire piece. And when you are more advanced, you will be able to study the various rhetorical devices (such as parallelism, tricolon, etc.). Read anything from Abraham Lincoln for a good example of this.
8. Write an outline; don’t write an outline.
Some famous writers dress by writing an outline. Others write from within. Do what works for you, but stick with it.
9. Master the grammar and usage basics, and don’t forget to edit.
Sometimes your submission to an editor can be rejected just because you missed too many stupid mistakes. I highly recommend learning grammar and usage basics, as well as how to proofread your own writing. Read the great essay “Will Spelling Count?” by Jack Connor to understand why paying attention to the little details will naturally make you a better writer. Is magic.
10. Write what interests you yournot what is popular.
If you tell us something truthful, chances are it sounds original too, even if it isn’t. If everyone else is writing fiction about vampires, fairy princesses, or aliens and you hate all of that, then write about something else. The same goes for popular nonfiction topics. Write what interests YOU and chances are someone else will too. Again, principle #4 comes to mind. If you work like hell to tell the truth, something good might happen.
There you go. The rest of all writing advice is just an expansion of any of the principles listed. In fact, even these ten principles contain some overlap. But hey, I wanted to get to magical number ten, so that’s what happens. If you’re interested in the help of a professional ghostwriter, don’t be afraid to ask. Your input can go a long way in improving your writing skills.
keep writing…