The Best Writing Advice Ever

What is the best writing advice I ever got?  My advisor, Micheline Aharonian Marcom, once told me that I could take my inner editor and tell her to go away for now and that I could always invite her to come back later.  

Perfection is crippling as I stumble trying to make sure each letter is in its exact right place and the words are more likely to bottle up than to flow.  What I’m starting to realize is that perfectionism is a way to not trust myself—it’s saying that the work I put out into the world will never be good enough.  When I take that inner editor and tell her to go away, I am trusting that I will come back and edit this work later.  I am trusting that I will still remember this particular sentence felt wonky and the paragraphs need to be reversed.  I am trusting that I know enough about writing now that I won’t let a bad product out the door.

I am also giving myself the space to get creative and to let my ideas flow.  My writing is better when I’m not thinking about the structure of the plot as I’m writing out early drafts.  I can build better worlds and flesh out my characters.  The story can be bigger and smarter than I am.

So take your trusty editor (this persona is after all your friend—just trying to help you make your best work) and tell him or her to go get a cup of coffee.  You’ll invite your editor back when it’s editing time.  For now it’s time to sit down and create.

On Writing and Motivation

As writers, we tend to find, consciously or not, excuses not to write. Why we do this is something of a mystery, but I have received some good advice recently on how to fight the urge to go watch tv, play a game, read a book, have a drink or indeed do anything other than write.

Stay with the moment.

Don't get up from wherever you're writing. Don't use the bathroom unless you really have to. Don't go for that cup of coffee. Don't think about anything other than your writing. Stay with it, ride it out for at least twenty minutes. And you'll find that those twenty minutes were some of the most fruitful writing you've produced. It's such a simple thing to do, but it's also easy, so easy, to think "I'll just be a moment" while you get that coffee, check your email or what not.

Stay with it, just a little longer. You'll be glad you did.

As a side note, something that assists with this endeavor is careful planning. Having that cup of coffee handy, having your music playlist already arranged or checking your email before you start (but not responding, you don't want to put off writing in favor of email,) will make it easier to stay in the moment.

Now where's my coffee...