This is one several writing tips, all located here: 10 Tips for Writing Awesome Stories.
My third writing tip is to be critical of writing tips that don’t feel right. I’ve never skinned a cat nor can I imagine I ever will. Apparently there are a million ways to do it and if ever found myself stuck with the task, I’d ask around for ideas and then go with what felt best. And that’s how you should approach writing.
One expert tells you to outline your book because “you need structure.” But what if you want to follow Stephen King’s advice and dig out a dinosaur (what? You didn’t read the book from Step 1?). By all means, ignore the first dude. Or if you’d rather outline, ignore Stephen King.
There isn’t a best way. An agent tells you attending conferences and retreats is how you’ll get your break. Your brother-in-law says you’ll never amount to anything unless you join a critique group. Go back to school, take a creative writing workshop, pay a professional editor. The advice is never ending. You can spend the rest of your life reading books and blogs like this one on how it should be done. They might help you but most of them will probably distract you. But I can tell you what they won’t do. They won’t write your story for you.
Every author has a different path to success. Don’t fight the path. Follow what makes sense and beware the quagmire of trying to figure out how to write. You should spend a lot of time at step 2, reading and writing. The rest comes after you have several stories and have explored your writing voice. Once you hit that point sorting through the technical advice will be as easy as picking through a bucket of candy and pulling out your favorites. You’ll have a much easier time finding what work for you.
The bottom line: there is no magic formula for writing. If you look at writers across the board there is only one common factor. They read and they write. Everything else is an option at the buffet. Pick and choose what you want from it.
Now get back to your writing because step 4 and beyond are geared for those who have already completed several short stories and/or a draft of a novel. Yes, the three tips I have given you so far (and Stephen Kings “On Writing”) are more than adequate to get you that far. If you aren’t that far and you read ahead, that’s okay. You’ll get an idea of the brutal work waiting for you on the other side. Just don’t get distracted by it!
That is true – sometimes it’s so difficult to recognise which writing tip is right or wrong