7 Rules for Writers

   So last week at the library (Ah! what a wonderful place!), I had the good fortune to find Writing Magic: CREATING STORIES THAT FLY by Gail Carson Levine. It. Is. Amazing! No, I'm serious. It really is.

   Mrs. Levine's book includes wonderful advice, thoughtful help, and genuine encouragement. Among other things, a set of rules for writers stood out to me. Here they are.

1. The best way to write better is to write more.

2. The best way to write better is to write more.

3. The best way to write better is to write more.

4. The best way to write more is to write whenever you have five minutes and whenever you find a chair and a pen and paper or your computer.

5. Read! Most likely you don't need this rule. If you enjoy writing, you probably enjoy reading. The payoff for this pleasure is that reading books shows you how to write them.

6. Reread! There's nothing wrong with reading a book over and over again. When you do, the words get inside you, become part of you, in a way that words in a book you've read only once can't.

7. Save everything you write, even if you don't like it, even if you hate it. Save it for a minimum of fifteen years. I'm serious. At that time, if you want to, you can throw it out, but even then don't discard your writing lightly.

   I strongly encourage all writers to read this book. There were many things in it that made so much sense, but I'd never heard about them! It may seem geared towards younger writers, but it's for anyone who wants to improve their writing.

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P.S. Please grant me grace in the weeks to come about posting regularly. Our house is officially up for sell, and things may become hectic.