(3 min read.) Here’s some of my favorite creative writing advice from people I actually trust. Each of these folks have written books that won awards, sold like hotcakes, AND made me gasp, laugh, and/or cry. I love these quotes and I thought you might like them too.
Kurt Vonnegut: TO HECK WITH SUSPENSE
(In case you haven’t met them yet, Kurt Vonnegut’s novels blend adventurous non-linear structures and unexpected genre collisions with a tender and rigorous ethical compass, but somehow all that ambitious stuff is also fun to read. I love this advice which reminds me to respect the reader and invite them to know as much as I can. It’s practical but also philosophical and I simply agree with it, with my whole heart.)
“Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.” -Kurt Vonnegut (Source.)
Octavia Butler: FORGET ABOUT INSPIRATION
(In case you don’t know, Octavia Butler’s visionary sci-fi has inspired entire social movements. I love this writing advice from her because it celebrates persistence. A lot of the writing advice I’ve seen from her focuses on demystifying the creative practice and uplifting the value of work, trying, and keeping at it; I think this quote puts it all so personally and simply that the wisdom can’t be ignored.)
“Forget about inspiration, because it’s more likely to be a reason not to write, as in, ‘I can’t write today because I’m not inspired.’ I tell them I used to live next to my landlady and I told everybody she inspired me. And the most valuable characteristic any would-be writer can possibly have is persistence. Just keep at it, keep learning your craft and keep trying.” -Octavia Butler (Source.)
Jeanette Winterson: NEVER STOP WHEN YOU ARE STUCK
(In case you haven’t run into her work before, Jeanette Winterson is a seriously unique novelist; simply nobody else sounds like her. Her confidence radiates from the page so strongly that the words almost glow in the dark. She has so much good advice that it’s hard to choose just one thing, but I love this practical tip.)
“Never stop when you are stuck. You may not be able to solve the problem, but turn aside and write something else. Do not stop altogether.” (Source.)
Italo Calvino: EVENTS THAT RHYME
(In case you haven’t stumbled on this guy, Italo Calvino’s short stories pushed the boundaries of imagery and language and he was a hugely influential innovator of postmodernist narrative. But his own influences came from the most traditional fabulist literary genre of all time: folktales told in oral tradition. I love this advice party because I’m already a huge fan of repeating ideas, but also because he gets back to basics while still opening up fresh possibilities.)
“Sicilian storytellers use the formula “lu cuntu nun metti tempu” (time takes no time in a story)… It leaves out unnecessary details but stresses repetition: for example, when the tale consists of a series of the same obstacles to be overcome by different people. A child’s pleasure in listening to stories lies partly in waiting for things he expects to be repeated: situations, phrases, formulas. Just as in poems and songs the rhymes help to create the rhythm, so in prose narrative there are events that rhyme.” -Italo Calvino (Source.)
Susan Sontag: LOVE WORDS
(In case you haven’t read her or read about her already, Sontag’s words as a masterful essayist continue to define some of the smartest conversations on Earth about photography, politics, and art. She was also a celebrated novelist; her fiction alone would have been enough for a lasting legacy. I am a huge fan of this advice because it reminds me to bring love and innocence and humor as well as rigor.)
“I’m often asked if there is something I think writers ought to do, and recently in an interview I heard myself say: ‘Several things. Love words, agonize over sentences. And pay attention to the world.’ Needless to say, no sooner had these perky phrases fallen out of my mouth than I thought of some more recipes for writer’s virtue. For instance: ‘Be serious. By which I meant: Never be cynical. And which doesn’t preclude being funny.” -Susan Sontag (Source.)
Naomi Alderman: JUST KEEP SEEKING
(In case you’re not on the cutting edge of lit, Naomi Alderman not only tells stories that are so contemporary they feel like a glimpse from the near-future, she also keeps innovating formally in new mediums (games, interactive audio, etc) while also rocking bestselling and critically acclaimed novels for adults (The Liar’s Gospel) and YA audiences (The Power.) I love her advice because it allows things to be unknown, curious, and active. Instead of trying to know what we’re doing, what if we tried to find out on the page?)
“Remind yourself, every day, that you’re doing this to try to find something out about yourself, about the world, about words and how they fit together. Writing is investigation. Just keep seeking.” -Naomi Alderman (Source.)
I hope one (or all) of these six geniuses helped you with some good writing advice today. If you love these ideas and want to write but are having trouble getting started, you might find it useful to try one of my 55 ways to stop procrastination.
xo, megan
Or just go home to the blog.
These (hopefully) really quite helpful creative writing tips offer what I’ve learned as an award-winning author who writes a million words a year, and what I’ve learned about supporting others as a private writing coach.
There’s no one way to write. There’s only your way. I hope some of my tactics and ideas can help you find it.
Yup, I’m a writing coach.
I work with folks at all levels of experience and all levels of income. My writers range from unhoused teens living on the streets to C-suite executives who want to up-level their communication. If you want a private coaching session but can’t afford it, email megan@howtowritesomething.com and ask for scholarship info.
curious/confused?: what does a writing coach do (and not do)
THANK YOU to this month’s generously supportive patrons who are helping me build a digital library of free writing resources to support writers with different access needs! Three cheers for A.J., Dan, Jason, Jennifer, Jessica, Josh, Katherine, Kathleen, Marianna, Nell, Sarah, and some anonymous folks who’ve asked not to be named. Come on in, the Patreon’s fine.