Debunking dumb writerly advice, one headache at a time.
Welcome back to Stupid Advice Saturday! In this final week of Nanowrimo, we’re going to eviscerate a piece of purported wisdom you’ve had crammed down your throat a lot lately, and that is to write every day. Bold words from someone who has spent the last 25 days encouraging you to write 1,667 words per… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: Should you really write every day?
Welcome to Stupid Advice Saturday! Last week we talked about how “Write what you know” is often badly misinterpreted, and taken to an unhealthy extreme. This week, we’ve got another unfortunate directive that often gets the same treatment: show, don’t tell. Like “Write what you know,” this isn’t bad advice until you take into account… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: “Show, don’t tell”
It’s Stupid Advice Saturday! Last week we talked about how said is, happily, not dead. This week’s victim: “Write what you know.” On the face of it, this is actually not bad advice. We all have unique experiences in this world – unique perspectives and stories of our own that need telling. We should write… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: “Write what you know”
Welcome to the first of four Stupid Advice Saturdays, where I debunk ridiculously common but also ridiculously misguided writing advice that you should absolutely under no circumstances listen to. Or at the very least, take with the most massive grain of salt you can possibly find. First on our list we have one of the… Continue reading Stupid Advice Saturday: “Said is Dead”