Write Fiction Without Rules

One thing I did when I first discovered writing resources on the web was listen hard to every writer's writing process (and most all of them are more than willing to share!) and try to integrate pieces of them into my own.

I'd write at night, I'd write in the early morning. I'd write with my eyes closed or screen turned off. I'd write on paper, I'd write on screen, I'd write in Microsoft Word, in Rough Draft, in yWriter.

What I've found, though, is that none of those things really mattered. All they were doing was keeping me from the freedom to write anywhere, anyplace, at any time (and believe me, that is freeing).

If you have a ritual that helps you write, great! But do a quick mind-check to see if it's really yours and not something you picked up somewhere and are using only because you think it will help you write better. If it feels unnatural to you, chances are it is.

Don't worry about your process. If you don't write 3000 words at night in half-light with flipper shoes, that's fine! Give yourself room to relax and let the story take on a life of its own. Your story will find its way out as long as you're willing to let it.

There's a lot of contradictory advice flying around out there about revision. My advice is to weigh each method in your mind, but ultimately do what is most natural to you. It may take some experimenting to find this out, but don't worry, you'll find your natural rhythm!

Don't worry about how fast or slow you write, either. Every writer has a different pace, speed, and amount of editing they do in each draft. Again, it's all about finding the method that works for you.

Here are some nuggets of writerly advice I've gathered over the years that have helped keep me on the right track. These aren't rules, but I hope at least some of them will help you as they've helped me.

So without further ado...

Do something because you like it, not because you think someone somewhere will like it.

If it's a choice between pretty words or a good story, choose a good story anyday.

Dig deeper than what everyone else has done 50,000 times before. Use what's old and make it new.

Give your story heart.

Sometimes every tool in the box must be tried before you find the right fit.

It's OK not to write. It will all be there when you next sit down, more enriched by your experiences in the meantime.

It's OK not to rewrite. Sometimes the truest expression of a scene is in the first shot; examine a scene carefully before you cover gold with primer. (It is, however, quite OK to refine your gold once you've found it.)

It's OK to not know what you're going to write before you write it. You might strike a gold mine.

It's OK to sit down and analyze a scene before you've finished a draft. You might find the spark that carries you the rest of the way.

When you've written a scene, take a look at what your characters are really doing/saying and why. This will help you find the backbone of your story and learn who your characters really are inside.

Your characters are never what they seem on the outside. As a consequence, they rarely if ever say exactly what they are thinking. Find the motivations behind their actions-their inner life-and you've found the core of your story.

Everything is subject to change; but listen to your gut, it's usually right.

Sometimes the best way to gain perspective is to start at the climax (the scene that makes the story) and work backwards from there.

When you have the inner hearts of your characters in mind, you are never writing blind no matter if you know what's coming next or not. (And sometimes the best suspense comes from your own surprise.)

It's OK to learn the writing rules; just be aware that most really good stories break them frequently and with great success.

Don't be afraid to try what's never been done before; most classics are born this way.

Don't do something just because it's never been done before. (Do it because you want to do it.)

Just write, don't worry about your age!

Above all: write if you enjoy it (and don't if you don't)!