Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tipsy Tuesday

40 years ago in the June 1969 issue, The Writer posted these "don'ts":

Never write for money. The work itself should be your only consideration while you write.

Never write for a "market." "Market" means "formula." Sneaky little hesitations creep in.

Never write for an audience less--or more--intelligent than you think you are. If you do, you'll write down to it or up to it. You are your audience.

Never write out of a total preconception of what you mean. It takes every word, every idea, every metaphor, one after the other, to come to that outcome or meaning, and unless it is predigested stuff--in other words, propaganda--you don't know it yet.

Never be grateful, loyal or vindictive in your writing. The truth won't be found if any of these emotions bend your literary intent. Write fantasy, farce, science fiction or whatever, as long as you are discovering--really discovering--which means that you are receptive to the ideas you come upon.


So, you tell me. Are these still relevant, 40 years later?

2 comments:

Colleen Love said...

Oh yes, totally relevant for today!

I was reading some comments on Amazon not to long ago, they were discussing books they have read and wich ones were a disappointment because they followed their own formula and seemed stuck in a rut. It was interesting and most of them were the famous, best sellers that they were talking about. I just found it very interesting.

That's a very good list, IMO. :)

Hope you have a great day today!
C~

Sherrill Quinn said...

Sometimes after a long run in a series, it feels like the author just phones it in and doesn't really put a lot of effort into it. I'm not saying that's what happens, but it seems to me that after a while the characters/world gets maybe too familiar.

Have a great Thanksgiving, Colleen!