Interview Outtakes

Do you have any advice for beginning authors?

Funny enough, I’ve been working on one of those “ten rules” things just recently, after doing some paid critique, writing reports on manuscripts by writers who sometimes don’t even know the very basics, in truth. So here’s what I’ve got so far:

You are not a new writer.

Any sign that you don’t know the ropes, is a sign that you’re not ready to go in the ring.

There is no story without style.

POV is not a communal steadicam.

Voice makes character.

Character makes action.

Action makes setting.

Making tea is not protagonising.

Don’t hide the story behind your back so you can sucker punch the reader with it later.

Find the tenth rule.

Some of the explanation of those rules is over at Craig Gidney's blog. The more detailed explanation that's meant to be a blog post... fuck knows when I'll get that done. I am *sooooo* fricking busy at the moment.