Writing Tips #2: Read and Write

This is one several writing tips, all located here: 10 Tips for Writing Awesome Stories.

My first writing tip was short and sweet, but you shouldn’t have skipped. Get Stephen Kings book, “On Writing” and read it! It’s such a critical concept that step 2 is a double-underlined repeat of the first!

There are two critical components for crafting stories: Read and Write.

That’s it. Read books. Lots of them. And write. All the time.

I could write hundreds of pages on why I feel this is so critical but you might as well hear it from the master. Stephen King lays it out beautifully and I want to keep it simple because it is simple. Read and Write. Read the stories you love and write anything. Don’t think about what you write, don’t worry about grammar, and for God’s sake don’t listen to that nagging voice that says “this sucks.” I love journaling but whatever allows you to tap into your soul will do the trick. Post a funny story about your kids on Facebook. Make up a story about your kid on Facebook. Write a blog. Whatever! Just read and write!

I’d say this tip represents about 70% of what it takes to figure out how to craft stories. If I was to give you 10 tips, 7 of them would be to simply Read and Write. My nagging voice is telling me you are saying, but hey Warren, you don’t make a living as an author why should I listen to you? And yes, I’m speaking from high atop a stack of wobbly barrels but that’s why I am using Stephen King to back me up. Read and write. Have I said it enough?

Next week I’ll start into what I consider the dark-side of writing. Grammar, editing, marketing, query letters, workshops, reading groups, and self-publishing are topics that can kill the writing spirit. I don’t say that to scare you, I say it because that’s where most people want to start. So relax, you’ll get it. But forget all of it for now. Seriously, forget it all. You don’t want to bog down your creative passion because marking and business can kill your spirit.

You might even want to stop following my blog and come back in a couple of years after you have solidified a rich relationship with your muse. The truth is that if you’ve done the reading and writing part right, some of you won’t even need my other writing tips. For the rest of us who already love to read and spend our evenings punching our keyboards, it’s time to dig in and start working.

When you are ready, continue to step 3.