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Writer's pictureD. P. Lyle

Criminal Mischief: Episode #14: Rules of Writing

SHOW NOTES:


Somerset Maugham: There are three rules for novel writing. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.


Terry Brooks Rules


Read, Read, Read

Outline, Outline, Outline

Write, Write, Write

Repeat


Dave Barry: Don’t Be Boring


Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing


1-Never open a book with weather

2-Avoid prologues

3-Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue

4-Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said”

5-Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose

6-Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose

7-Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly

8-Avoid detailed descriptions of characters

9-Don’t go into great detail describing places and things

10-Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip


LINKS:


Elmore Leonard: “What a Guy,” says Jackie Collins


Writers On Writing: Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points, and Especially Hooptedoodle by Elmore Leonard


Jack Kerouac’s 30 Tips:



6 Writing Tips From John Steinbeck:





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