The Worst Writing Advice We've Ever Gotten
Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 01:41PM 
Ever gotten bad writing advice? We have. Honestly, we've had way more GOOD advice than bad, but we thought it would be fun - and enlightening - to look back at the clunkers. Here is the worst advice we've ever gotten. We were lucky enough not to take it. Read it and shudder! - Anne and Ellen
Ellen Potter
1. Really, this one isn’t bad writing advice; it’s just plain bad advice, period. One of my college creative writing teachers advised us to walk in dangerous neighborhoods at night. She said that, “One can only feel genuine emotions when one is out of one’s comfort zone.”
That may be true, but I would also argue that being robbed and beaten to a pulp may interfere with one’s writing schedule.
Okay, okay. I’ll admit she does have a point about comfort zones. When you’re in them, your senses don’t have to operate on high alert. When you’re out of them, you tend to notice more, hear more, feel more, which can help you to produce good writing.
Personally, though, I’d rather get out of my comfort zone by pony trekking on the Yorkshire moors than getting mugged in a 7-Eleven parking lot.
2. And then there was this little gem, from that same professor: “If you can manage it, have a lousy childhood.”
Apparently, feuding parents, severe corporal punishment, and frequent public humiliation are a surefire recipe for literary greatness. Actually, I understand her point. Early trauma can certainly help you understand peoples’ complicated, and often ugly, emotional and psychological layers; but if a writer is perceptive and sensitive, I believe they can achieve the same results, and still have a Thanksgiving dinner that doesn’t end with a food fight and triple restraining orders.
3. A while back, the rule of thumb for picture book writers was, “No one wants to read books with talking animals anymore.”
Olivia the (talking) pig, Mo Willems’ (talking) elephant and (talking) pigeon, and Martha (the talking dog) have two words for that little piece of advice: “Um, Really?”
ANNE MAZER
Although I’ve received a lot of great writing advice over the years, here’s some really bad advice that I’m glad I didn’t listen to. It’s always good for a writer to have a streak of stubborn rebelliousness.
1. “You can’t write that.” I was shocked when a well-respected professional told me not to write a story I was committed to. I don’t remember her reasons, except that she disliked my idea, but I wrote the story anyway and published it.
Conclusion: Even the best of writers can steer you wrong sometimes. Evaluate the advice you receive and make sure it serves you well.
2. “It’s been done before.” I made the mistake of telling my idea to someone who didn’t know much about writing or creativity. After he dismissed my idea, I went ahead and wrote my book, which was eventually published.
Conclusion: Be careful whom you share your ideas with. Some people don’t understand the writing process. That doesn’t make them bad people; it means you shouldn’t confide your ideas in them.
3. “It’s just a dream.” A well-intentioned friend, on hearing that I planned to become a writer, tried to talk me out of it. He thought that I lived in my head and didn’t have a good grip on reality. Fifty books later, I now have a (slightly) better grip on reality, and all that living in my head proved to be good for something, after all.
Conclusion: Only you get to decide whether to pursue a dream or not. No one can predict what you can or can’t do. You have to find out for yourself.
Okay, we've told you our writing horror stories. What about yours?
Reader Comments (9)
It's so hard for any writer to sift all the advice in the early years. Writing is a brave and confusing endeavor. In learning the craft, we can sometimes lose track of the art--and the reverse. I have always written down insights on paper and stuck them on my walls as I begin new work. The newest one says this: "Write! Then rewrite until at least half the scenes make you shiver. THEN get other people's opinions."
there's nothing better than proving people wrong and saying LOOK- HA...I COULD DO IT. WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?! ME! mwahahahaha. Like think about J.K.Rowling, no one believed in her world and now millions believe in her word. =P
the power of creative thinking- KEEP WRITING AND DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU YOUR IDEAS AREN'T WORTH ANYTHING.
much love and Happy Writing!
=)
"Don't read in your genre." That is, if you're writing mystery, don't read mystery. If you're writing middle grade historical fiction, don't read middle grade historical fiction. I guess the idea behind this (bad) advice is to keep the writer from copying. But I think it is misguided. Writers need to be readers, too, IMHO. :)
Totally agree, Rebecca!! I haven't heard that piece of advice, but it seems seriously awful to me. How will a writer learn about their genre if they don't read? Um, duh!!! - Anne
Well, you have some REALLY bad writing advise here. Wow.
I feel, "Why have a perfectly good embarrassing or annoying moment get away from you?"
I was stuck on a broken down bus for almost three hours with my class on the side of a five lane highway. Oh, and it felt like 95 degrees on the bus.
Thank goodness for my class being there, because if they weren't, I seriously would have probably gone crazy. We started a debate on the bus promising great mechanics, trees that grow butter, and croissants for everyone if we voted for them for president of the bus. That went on for a good two hours in New York City accents. That right there is a reason to hold onto memories, because how many people get the opportunity to sit on a bus and vote for president who promises butter trees?
NEVER listen if people refuse to accept that their own experiences will offer ideas for stories. Because 99% of the time, they're wrong.
As Hemingway said in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, "never take writing advice from another writer."
"This topic has already been covered by Judy Blume and the like (so don't write about it)." I pretty much think every topic has been covered and re-covered, yet still, there are new people experiencing these problems. Where would West Side Story be without Romeo and Juliet?
And thanks, Sourav Roy, for that quote. In some cases, Hemingway may be right, but where would we be without our writers' groups?
Tying in somewhat with the Hemingway theme, I find sometimes the worst source of bad writing advice is from how-to-write books. Rather paradoxically, I think part of being a good writer is knowing when to ignore the advice that helped you get past the amateur stages of writing.
I've also learned to ignore some "advise" I've gotten, like Anne and Ellen said. I wrote (I think) three pages of a story on the computer. I was really proud of myself, but when I told someone I knew, they said "Why would you do that?"
It's not really advice, but I got a little crushed after that. I don't want anyone else to feel the same way I did when that happened to me. Just think, nothing you write is garbage. It just might need to be fixed up a bit to be just what you want. And if one person doesn't like it, there's someone out there who will. You just have to keep trying and don't get down on yourself.
As Walt Disney said: "Keep moving foreword."