Writing - what not to do

[AlexM]

Writing takes time to learn. I think anyone who takes the time and writes a lot, can eventually become a good writer. A good writer. Once at that level, more time is needed to become an even better writer. I don't think handing a football to just any guy walking down the street and telling him he's going to play pro football that night would be a good idea. B.B. King said he wakes up every day, picks up his guitar, runs through the scale and plays a few chords. Like a bodybuilder, you don't end up with a perfect physique after a few weeks or even many months of effort. That learning curve just never goes away.

What not to do - give up after your work is rejected once.

Another thing not to do is provide lengthy, basically useless or way too descriptive information in your prose. I see the following all the time: "The sun glistened off his gleaming helmet as sweat poured down his wrinkled brow while his boots, caked in mud, struggled through the swamp, making a sucking sound as he struggled with every step..."






Alex Marciniszyn