Commandment 1: 1st Drafts Suck
This is a known truth to writing. So if you are reading your work, and you think it sucks – that’s okay! That’s normal! You’ll fix it later. And if you are reading your work, and you think it’s awesome – it’s not. It sucks. It will need work, trust me.
Commandment 2: Write What You Know
It was once said – then debunked – that 10,000 hours of study would make you an expert. So if you are an expert in something, you probably love it, and writing about it would be a great expression of that love. That doesn’t mean you can’t become an expert – or a hobbyist – in something else. There is always time to learn more.
Commandment 3: Write For You First
That story you’re writing, it may never be seen by anyone else. Publishing is a super hard industry, there’s no guarantee every story you write will be seen by the world. So you have to have a better reason than that to write. Write for you – because you love it. Because you have to. Because you want to. Whatever it is, you have to be the main motivation.
Commandment 4: If You Don’t Love It, They Won’t Either
If you’re writing something, and you’re just hating everything about it – guess what? Chances are an audience will hate it too. What you feel and put into it, that comes across whether you do it purposefully or not. So if you’re hating something, find another project. Maybe you come back to the hater, maybe you don’t. Who cares?
Commandment 5: Words Are Words
NaNoWriMo can sometimes get into a writer’s head, for better or for worse. 2,000 words a day, and in a month you have a novel! Great idea. Great motivation. Great community. Not always great on a writer’s psyche. You don’t have to write 2,000 words a day to be considered a writer. Maybe you only write 1,000. Maybe you only write 300. Maybe you only write an email! That’s okay, you wrote something, and you are therefore a writer.
Commandment 6: The FBI is Probably Watching Your Search History
We all know this. I’m sure it’s in FBI training at this point. Ohmigosh! My subject searched for how to make a bomb! — Yeah, sure, but they also search for how much grass cows eat, how do you measure horses, can a spider eat a bat, and other words for “very”. You’ve got a writer, Mac. So don’t worry about it, you just do you, boo.
Commandment 7: There Will Always Be Haters
New Flash – all people are different. And books and stories are very personal choices for folks. There is literally nothing the human race can agree on, right now. Seriously, nothing. So know going into this that not everyone is going to love your book. But you know, there will always be people who do.
Commandment 8: Yes, Your Characters Are Real
I’m pretty sure there’s all kinds of philosophy surrounding what’s “real” – so you know what? Yeah, yes, you’re characters are real. Mine are. I talk to them. They argue with me. They do whatever the hell they want, despite what I – the creator and writer – have planned. That seems pretty real to me.
Commandment 9: This Shit Is Hard
Does this need an explanation? Just read that again…
Commandment 10: You Decide What Successful Is
Maybe successful is the New York Times Best Sellers List. Maybe successful is having your book turned into a movie. Maybe success is simply receiving fan mail. It is 100% personal to each writer, and there is no wrong answer. To me, success will be the day that I see some fanart drawn by someone who loved my story. The money is nice, but that’s not what I really want. You have to decide what it is you really want, and that is success. Period.
