“Three Rules for Writing”

When I started writing 30+ years ago the internet was in its infancy. Blogs, so far as I knew, did not exist; social media was just over the horizon; print books, magazines, and newspapers still dominated the reading landscape; and the number of accessible experts, self-proclaimed and accredited, on any subject was relatively finite. It was in that environment that I started writing. My one nod to the tech world was that I transitioned from pencil and pad to word processing. Other than that, I was on my own. I wrote fiction. Most of it had its roots in my own experience and so I relied on my memory and imagination. As far as I was concerned, that sufficed. However, change in the information world came rapidly with, not surprisingly, positive and negative results.

On the positive side, I could check my memory against a world of easily accessible facts. Since much of my writing was historical fiction, I could get even the smallest details right if I so desired. And I could do that from the comfort of my home. Careful and selective use of the information available on the internet obviated going to a library or some other repository of archival materials.

On the negative side, an explosion of writing advice had the effect of stunting my creative efforts with caution. Suddenly, there were more thoughts about what constitutes good writing than I could ever internalize or put into practice. As the explosion rolled on, I questioned nearly every writing decision I was making in a way that alienated me from what I wanted to say. I didn’t have sufficient experience to separate the wheat from the chaff. My self-confidence suffered. I was certain that whatever I was writing would be torn to shreds by the legion of “experts” just waiting to tear things to shreds. I needed a pep talk, big time.

One of my favorite authors is W. Somerset Maugham. I often turn to his short stories for the sheer pleasure of reading them. His story “Rain” is one of the best I have ever read, and I’ve read it a number of times. Maugham was a productive genius. I mention him because during the “writing rule” proliferation I encountered I found this gem from him: “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” That was it, the pep talk. If that idea was good enough for Somerset Maugham, then it was good enough for me. I was able to relax, which allowed me to write in a manner I found authentic.

Don’t get me wrong, those looking for commercial success as a writer need to understand what will likely lead them to that goal. Furthermore, sound expert advice from should not be ignored lightly. But remember, advice is not a mandate. The practices, habits, and forms that one writer has employed may be unique to that writer’s approach. At the end of the day, my only advice to those who want to write for public consumption is simple. Write until you can’t write any more and then write some more. While you’re doing that, don’t worry about what others have written and what others advise. Develop your own voice; there will be time enough for serious third-party critique once you’ve fleshed out your ideas, your thoughts, and your habits in a manner unique to you.