Best Piece of Advice

If you could give a new writer one piece of advice on writing, editing or publishing what would it be? I thought this would be fun and help out all the writers on the board.

Mine is:

Write every day, read everything, and fixing mistakes is what edits are for so don't stress about them while writing.

Mine is:

Learn all the writing rules, then break them all at least once in your first draft. That way, you aren't worrying about things being "right" since you already know you're breaking the rules. You can add rules back in when you're writing later drafts, but for your first, break rules.

~Rosey

It don't matter what they think, just so long as you enjoy what you're writing and know that it's what you really want to do with the story.

Trust your story. If you don't believe in it, neither will the audience. When you run into problems, relax and take a breather for a couple of days, then come back. A clear mind can really help.

Write whenever you have the inspiration(not just when planned to write) and don't edit as your writing.

"Forced rhymes are bad for your posture."

Spell check.

You have no clue just how important that is.

Always spell check!

Spellcheck is all well and good, but when all is said and done, grammar check!

Get to know your characters. Become bests friends or worst enemies with them, but know everything about them. Know their favorite colors, their favorite cereals, their mannerisms, their birthdays, they're childhoods. Know them and create them until they become voices in your head.

You guys have put up a lot of good advice up here. I think I will take some of these to hearts.

"Show, don't tell." Be descriptive with your writing. Tell them what they are doing and convert the emotions through their actions. Don't just say that they are mad. Tell through the story so that you do not info dump on people. Those are the hardest parts to get through when you read a story. I am guilty for this myself, and that is why I am working with my own advice.

~Incognito

Be concise.

Try to leave out the parts people skip.

Write at least ten outcomes to the same situation before you decide what happens next.

Read!

Always write for your own amusement, if you think about other people reading it, you'll get shy!