A No Bullshit Guide To Writing

As someone who has spent countless hours writing academically and for fun, I have racked up a number of mistakes and learned through persistence that sometimes words do really fail you. Criticism is often something we ignore - especially if you are as stubborn as I am - so we find ourselves unable to grow as a writer and become ignorant to the fact that we really need the harsh reality. Although I am not yet a published author, I do consider myself to have some degree of knowledge so let me be the one to provide you with some much needed criticism so that you can develop your skills and become a better writer yourself. I wish I knew this advice years ago. So, this is for those new writers who are writing a book or are thinking of writing a book.

And no, I will not be leaving any survivors because this might not be what you necessarily want to hear but you need to! 

1. Your First Book Is Probably Going To Suck 

Let's be honest, it's not going to be very good but you have to write it; you can't write books if you don't write books and fear of failure is not a good excuse. So just embrace that it's going to suck and write the damn book. Thinking about writing a book or wanting to write is not writing and in my experience, you'll sit on your characters, plot and dialogue for years trying to make them perfect BUT they just won't be until you put pen to paper. You need to give it life outside of your head. Write that first draft and let them develop on their own accord because let's think of it in terms of our own life; nobody writes it for us. You need to write, write, edit and write again. Trust the process, learn your readers opinions whether that be a friend, teacher, editor, publisher or the grandma you forced to read it and if it sucks...try again or move on to the next idea.  Just write it. 

2. Nothing Is Original 

You're not original. Deal with it. Stop twisting yourself into knots over your idea being perfect or original or winning or worrying that another author has already done it. I guarantee you that another author or TV show or movie has already done it; deep breath, let it go and seriously, just write. What brings an original spark to a novel or piece of writing is how you write it and if you don't get it in your first go (because your first book is probably going to suck) that is fine! By writing books you are going to teach yourself how to write books; how to take tropes and twist them to make them interesting and original. It's a process. So, don't worry too much about whether or not your idea is original because I promise you, you are not. Bring what you can to the table and make it yours. Write it.

3.  Nobody Cares 

No one cares about your magnum opus as much as you do. Trust me. Really, they don't care so it's going to be really hard for you to get people to drum up any enthusiasm. So, when you're wasting your time on Reddit or Tumblr like, "What do you guys think of this?" nobody cares. We just don't, unless you have a fetish for proofreading that is. And, when you're done with your piece, it's going to be hard to find beta readers because guess what? No one cares. Your family and friends definitely don't care. Just embrace that it means more to you than it's going to mean to anyone else. Especially that first book which probably sucks. Eventually, you can get people to care about your book as much as you do, if not more, but it takes time and it's definitely not going to happen right away. So, just kind of let go of that desperate need for validation and attention, and just write your book! 

4.  Your Life Story Isn't That Interesting

This one is for all those who are writing memoirs or nonfiction pieces! No one cares about your life. Seriously, no one really cares - you thought I was being harsh on the fiction writers? Now it's your turn. Your fascinating life story; I promise you it's not that interesting. At least not to strangers who don't know you. And the reality of publishing specifically is that unless you're famous or have had something incredibly dramatic or life changing happen to you, they really really don't care. They are not going to publish your memoir but write it for yourself anyway. Get off Reddit! Seriously, I see you on there telling me about your memoir, about your heroing life experience and nobody cares because odds are you're 25 and it's just not that interesting. BUT, write it anyway because all writing is practice but you probably just won't get it published. 

5.  Excuses Are Bullshit. Write. 

All of your excuses including some of the ones mentioned above for not starting and not writing, not pushing through it, not finishing your book...are bullshit! They are complete bullshit. You are wasting time, you're making excuses. Which brings me to: 

6. Writer's Block Isn't Real

It's an illusion. Writer's block doesn't exist and it is just an excuse for not writing. I know what you're saying, "but sometimes I hit a block with writing. It's hard." Yes, it is hard. Writing is hard. Writing a book is very hard and it is supposed to be hard. The thing is you can't always write when you're inspired, inspiration is for people who don't finish books; you have to form a writing habit and force yourself to write, even when you don't "feel like it." Not feeling like it is this imaginary writers block and professionals can teach themselves how to push through this. I had to learn this myself and have developed a writing routine that has allowed me to continue writing for months on end which I will share with you at some point. So, writer's block is not real. Just get on with it! 

Side point. Mental Health Is Real 

Your mental health is very much real and you need to take care of yourself. Every once in a while, not wanting to write is a sign you need to take a break. Not only will you be taking time to help yourself, but your characters and plot will benefit as your writing may become sluggish, forced and uncharacteristic. You will lose your flow. A writing habit can help with this though - your mental health - as you can designate time to activities that don't include spilling your ideas and stressing over how to rephrase the word 'said' for the 100th time such as: creating boards on Pinterest to help visualise your characters or settings; create playlists that help get to know your characters; read some of your favourite books or watch the things that inspire you the most. But the rest of the time, writer's block is not real!

7.  Traditional Publishing Isn't The Enemy 

They're not out to get you. There aren't gatekeepers because it's like an evil capitalist system that wants to shit on your dreams. Sometimes, you're just not good enough. You just aren't good enough but that doesn't  mean you aren't forever. Remember how I said that the first book is probably going to suck? Sometimes your second or third book will also suck, and so on; wrong for the market; wrong for the moment. Keep writing and keep improving. Traditional publishing is not evil. Sometimes self-publishing is the best solution for you but it shouldn't be your automatic go to because you think they're a bunch of fat cats in New York smoking cigars, burning money and books and dreams and writers souls and laughing funsies. The traditional publishing industry loves books! Trust me, they are not making as much money as you may think they are. Books are a labour of love and they are just looking for good books that they think that people will want to buy. So, don't play the victim and think of traditional publishing as the fat cat evil guys and just work on your writing. Try again. Turn the frustration inwards and look at yourself; maybe you just need to practice more or write another book or try a different idea. Write it and offer it to them, if you get denied then turn to self-publishing, create a library of collections and start a new book. Keep trying.

8. Rejection Is Healthy! Process It! 

Rejection is normal and part of the process of being a writer. You should actually welcome rejection because you're never going to get better if you don't experience it. When you experience rejection you feel your feelings, you look inward instead of blaming others and you go, 'oh! That isn't working, let me revise or write another book. Let me try again.' This is how you grow as a writer! Writers are so afraid of rejection that they won't even put themselves out there, they will default to self-publishing instead of even trying traditional publishing or, just never share their work with anyone (I was guilty of being that kind of writer until now). It is a cowardly response to a very human and natural fear because it is really scary putting yourself out there. But, my harsh advice to you is: if you aren't willing to put yourself out there, experience rejection and grow, then, you won't grow. You'll be stagnant and that first book that sucks because it's probably going to suck? Your subsequent books will also probably suck because you've learned nothing! So, put yourself out there and face rejection. Embrace it, learn and grow. 

9. Brainstorming / Researching Isn't Writing

Brainstorming endlessly about your book is not writing. Asking questions on Reddit about writing isn't writing. Reading this article (thank you for reading by the way) also isn't writing. You can spin your wheels for weeks, months and years preparing to write or talking about writing. None of it is writing. The thing is that so many of us prefer haven to actually written. But, you have to actually write to have written. So stop procrastinating, finish reading this and then, go write. Seriously, the harshest advice I can give you is that you have to write. Write, which brings me to my last point: 

10. Writing Is Lonely. Thankless. Disappointing. 

Now, this may not be my harshest piece of advice but I left the most real till the end. Writing is largely solitary. You do it by yourself. It's largely thankless because seriously, no one cares as much as you do I'd  say 95 to 99% of the time and it's full of rejection and disappointment because that is a natural part of the process. People won't want to read it as a beta reader, agents will reject it, publishers will reject it; you get a book deal and then reviewers just don't like it. It's just a constant cycle and it never goes away. So, you have to be writing for the right reasons and those reasons are not money or external validation from other people or accolades.You have to like writing, love writing, even when you hate writing. And whether that's just the desire to do storytelling so you deal with all the writing bullshit part of it, as someone who doesn't really like drafting, I love revising and editing. Find the thing that you love and pursue that thing or try different strategies; make games to make writing the fun you have. Writing should be pleasuarable even when it's torture and, it is often torture because it is solitary. It is lonely. And, it is so thankless most of the time, disappointing and full of rejection. So you have to stomach all of that stuff but still come back to it over and over and over again because you love it. Otherwise, you're just someone sitting out there who likes the idea of writing more than being a writer so you need to write. Throw away all the bullshit and fear and the excuses and write! You can't be a writer unless you write and you can't get better unless you write. So go do it. 

I hope you enjoyed the article and that you can take away something from it, despite it being sarcastic in places. I am full of advice so do contact me on what you'd like to see in the future! If you're new to the blog or my account, bookmark this page or sign up for email notifications OR alternatively follow me on Instagram - Follow here! as I post content daily. Have a nice day :)

By Samantha McPhillips