Writing tips

Apparently lot of people give writing tips and writing tutorial claiming that they can help improve someones writing.

The point is ...should this not come from accomplished writers?By that I don't mean someone largely successful but instead someone who writes "really" well.

Also... is good writing not like seeing.How can it be taught?

*moved to Lounge*

All writers can give advice, in my opinion. Even the authors who don't write "really" well can have an insight to a problem or know a little bit of advice. Take one glance at the Writing Resources forum cluster and you'll see what I'm talking about. Not to mention, the number of reviews on YWS from old and new members alike! "Accomplished" in the writing world can mean nothing. I like Tamora Pierce and consider her an accomplished author, but I also know several people who can't stand her and don't know why she got to be so popular. Does that mean her advice is any different? No. It just means some people don't like her books.

And the ability to teach writing is one of those debates that might never be solved. My opinion is, you teach writing by example and by giving suggestions. Examples show how writing can be done, and suggestions by a critic (done after the critic has pointed out problems) also help the author learn about writing.

Anyone can give advice on writing, whether they are a writer or not. Some of the best critics don't write.

I've seen successful writers who recommend that young writers shouldn't write at all... that they should be adults before they started writing creatively because young writers are idiots who don't know how to write. I think Lois Lowry, in fact, said in a book directed to aspiring young writers that you should wait till you're an adult before you start writing.

Yep. That's awesome writing advice, don't you think?

Advice should always be taken with a grain of salt. If you read advice, remember to think about it before implementing it. If it doesn't make sense, don't do it. If you think it can help, do it. If it doesn't work, then oh well! Try something else. If it does work, yipee!

But just because someone gives you advice without credentials doesn't mean it's bad advice--and the reverse is also true. As long as you think over the advice and don't recklessly follow all suggestions brainlessly, everything should turn out all right in the end.

And good writing comes from practice, practice, practice. Some writing projects will fail, some will be successful. But you need to practice writing if you ever want to write.

In my opinion the only truly good writing advice is to simply keep writing and keep creating stories. People can tell you a million different ways to enhance your writing from a million of the very best of writers, yet if you don't already have a moderate grasp on your skills than none of it will mean anything. You'll know it, but you just won't seem to be able to apply it. The only way to get good is to keep doing it, and eventually with time and effort you'll begin to see improvement. You'll look back on old things you've written and see everything that was wrong with it. When you read books or watch movies with crappy plots you won't be able to help but think about how you could make them better. Eventually stories will just come naturally to you. You'll know right off the bat whether something is good, bad, pointless, brilliant, whatever.

Practice makes perfect, and nowhere is that more than true in writing.

Snoink wrote:I've seen successful writers who recommend that young writers shouldn't write at all... that they should be adults before they started writing creatively because young writers are idiots who don't know how to write. I think Lois Lowry, in fact, said in a book directed to aspiring young writers that you should wait till you're an adult before you start writing.

Yep. That's awesome writing advice, don't you think?

I would very much like to hit that person.

Anyone can give advice. It doesn't mean it's good advice, it doesn't mean it's bad advice. It's up to the individual whether it's right or not. We've all seen some really stupid writing tips. But we've all seen some good ones, too. We take it, or we don't.

There's no such thing as a bad writer, only a writer who's got a lot to learn.

That's one. I don't know if it's stupid. We've all seen terrible writing. But seven months and nine days ago, I was a pigheaded girl who thought she knew everything there was to know about writing. Turns out, I've barely scratched the surface. But I have improved a lot recently. That's what YWS does.

Anyway, I'm digressing.

The point is, advice is stupid. And advice is brilliant. It all comes down to a matter of perspective.

That and common sense.
~Grin

I think Lois Lowry, in fact, said in a book directed to aspiring young writers that you should wait till you're an adult before you start writing.

No! How could she?

Before I take advice, I always think of why and how this could help me. Like Snoink said, take it with a grain of salt.

I've read a bunch of writing books, and some have different opinions. Every writer has a different way of writing.

Sorry if I didn't make much sense. I should be sleeping right now.
--Olivia

I tried to look for that quote from Lois Lowry, but actually all I could find was her telling kids who want to be writers to read and write a lot, specifically to write letters to their grandmothers? Maybe it was someone else who said kids shouldn't write? I did read that she doesn't think kids should focus on publication, though.

Matt Bellamy wrote:

Snoink wrote:I've seen successful writers who recommend that young writers shouldn't write at all... that they should be adults before they started writing creatively because young writers are idiots who don't know how to write. I think Lois Lowry, in fact, said in a book directed to aspiring young writers that you should wait till you're an adult before you start writing.

Yep. That's awesome writing advice, don't you think?

I would very much like to hit that person.

I'll get a large pencil to beat this person with.

But anyways, everyone has a different insight on writing. It all means something different, and the way you see it effects the way you learn. Taking advice from everyone will give you tons of new perspectives and make you a truly great writer. Think large scale, not so narrowly that people consider it one-faced closed mindedness. Be open to what everyone tells you. Though you don't have to take it all into account, listen and you might just learn something.

Kamas