3 Things Writers Should Never Do
Here's the thing about writing . . . there are no absolutes. That's the beauty of art. That being said, there are some things that just won't fly with audiences. Case in point, this Mountain Dew commercial from the Superbowl last weekend that freaked out anyone with eyeballs:
Sorry for the creep factor. I know you can't unsee this once you've watched it, but my point is though writing is art, there are some lines you don't cross, like the baby/puppy/monkey thing. What exactly are those lines?
3 Things Writers Should Never Do
1. Do not break the trust of your reader by leaving them unfulfilled and unsatisfied.
Killing off favorite characters just for the gore of it or leaving the situations you created unresolved is a good way to get a roundhouse kick to the head from a reader. Don't do it. **Waving my fingers in Jedi mind trick fashion** You will tie up plot threads. You will manage your characters with goals, motivations, and conflicts, not just whims.
2. Don't assume that just because you've had one success that you deserve another.
Listen, Chachi, simply because you managed to sign one contract doesn't mean the Cosmos owes you another one. Pride goeth before a fall. Publishers and readers are not in your debt.
3. Don't give in to defeat.
Write. Write more. Then write some more. No matter what kind of reviews or sales or even what your mother said about your book last week. Being an author is a tough gig but that doesn't mean you give in to despair. You know that saying about developing tough skin? There's a reason it's a saying . . . because it's true. Don't give anyone the power to steal your writerly joy. It's yours. Hold onto it with both hands.
Sorry for the creep factor. I know you can't unsee this once you've watched it, but my point is though writing is art, there are some lines you don't cross, like the baby/puppy/monkey thing. What exactly are those lines?
3 Things Writers Should Never Do
1. Do not break the trust of your reader by leaving them unfulfilled and unsatisfied.
Killing off favorite characters just for the gore of it or leaving the situations you created unresolved is a good way to get a roundhouse kick to the head from a reader. Don't do it. **Waving my fingers in Jedi mind trick fashion** You will tie up plot threads. You will manage your characters with goals, motivations, and conflicts, not just whims.
2. Don't assume that just because you've had one success that you deserve another.
Listen, Chachi, simply because you managed to sign one contract doesn't mean the Cosmos owes you another one. Pride goeth before a fall. Publishers and readers are not in your debt.
3. Don't give in to defeat.
Write. Write more. Then write some more. No matter what kind of reviews or sales or even what your mother said about your book last week. Being an author is a tough gig but that doesn't mean you give in to despair. You know that saying about developing tough skin? There's a reason it's a saying . . . because it's true. Don't give anyone the power to steal your writerly joy. It's yours. Hold onto it with both hands.
