Elmore Leonard’s Ten Rules for Writing Fiction
This has been passed around a bit already, but I’m going to post it here in case you haven’t seen it yet:
Elmore Leonard’s Ten Rules for Writing Fiction
These are pretty hard to argue with. The article also features several other writers’ lists — most of which aren’t as good as Leonard’s, but there’s still some very good advice there. (Even from Jonathan Franzen, who could stand to take some How Not to Sound Like a Cock lessons.)
Here’s another good rule, which I heard at a Richard Bausch lecture:
“If you have a character give a big ideological speech, make damn sure you don’t believe a word of it.”
(My addendum: Ignoring this advice results in a narrative problem known as Sorkening.)
Good link. I liked this, both parts one and two. Putting a bunch of writers' "Ten Rules" together underscores the fact that there are no ten rules.
Immediately upon realizing this, you have to write your own ten rules, of course. I think this is the list MFA programs left out:
1. Quit
2. Quit
3. Quit
4. Quit
5. Quit
6. Quit
7. Quit
8. Quit
9. Quit
10. Okay, then if you won't quit: Write.
E.
See, that's a good list right there. That should be handed out at several points throughout a graduate writing program.
This is a great list. It's the first time I've ever seen a list of writer commandments that made me feel like a nine out of ten.
Chris,
Speaking of, when are we allowed to, you know, announce the something-something?
Matt