Wednesday, March 31, 2010

5 Writing Lessons from James N. Frey

As I mentioned in Monday's post, I attended a writers' conference over the weekend that featured creative writing teacher and author of How to Write a Damn Good Novel, James N. Frey, as the keynote speaker. Unfortunately, I only got to attend one of his sessions (which I had to leave due to my AGENT APPOINTMENT!), but he gave us some great food for thought during his keynote at lunch. For me, the 5 highlights were:

1. Writing isn't an option. It isn't a calling. It's a life.

2. Your writing stinks. Acknowledging it is the first step--the second is to either decide to do something about it, or "keep on stinking."

3. "Your spouse. You may need another one. Someday you might be given an ultimatum--it's me or the writing! Well, so long B*&%$"

4. If you want to be a writer, copy the styles of writers you admire. Write a 100-200 piece in the style of a writer you like every day--it's a great warmup exercise

5. Read read read. Write write write. Suffer suffer suffer.

What about you? Any favorite writing lessons that you would add?

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