What Everyone Gets Wrong About Writing Advice
And how you can avoid making the same mistake
Good Morning Friends!
My kids are at home for spring break, so we’ll see what effect that has on my output this week. I expect that I’ll have a few more mental health breaks than normal as they call on me to take them places or play games. That’s fine by me.
Over the weekend, I found myself reflecting on the purpose of this newsletter. It started off as a place to provide writing advice and I still see that as one of my fundamental objectives.
November 5th, 2024 threw all of our lives into disarray. I went from planning on writing and publishing a bunch of fun, escapist fantasy, to feeling like I’m in a fight to preserve my very existence.
Based on the comments I’ve received, I know I’m not the only one who feels like that.
What’s become more and more obvious as we continue to wrestle with our new reality is the importance of messaging. Unfortunately, the world is full of misinformation. It’s delivered in neat, digestible packets to your cell phones every two seconds.
It’s an incessant, constant pressure. It’s a tsunami of lies. Prior to November 5th, I used to think I could stay focused on the truth. I thought the truth would prevail. Then our country went and elected a man who is completely devoid of integrity.
Seriously, have you ever seen anyone more lacking in even a single positive trait?
Well, that just proves to us how effective unleashing a deluge of lies can be. It also shows us that we have to rouse ourselves and fight it.
Constantly.
I think it’s important for all writers to be generous. We have to help each other. Over the last few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to build a decent little platform. It’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the attention other writers command, but it feels like a lot of power to me, and I take that very seriously.
What I’ve discovered over the years is that there are a lot of very talented people out there with wonderful perspectives. Mainstream publishing is so risk adverse that they don’t bother to release books, movies, or albums that challenge the status quo. That means that the most daring artists of our time are cut off from earning their rightful influence.
We’ve got to change that. You all have a story to tell. You all know the difference between truth and lies. You all have to share that wisdom in pursuit of crafting a more humane and beautiful civilization.
But the thing that everybody gets wrong about writing advice is they think it can be applied on some sort of schedule.
In most things, that’s true. If somebody gives you good advice on how to grow tomatoes, you should rightfully expect to have some tomatoes in your hands in a couple of months.
If somebody gives you good advice on writing, you shouldn’t expect to have a movie deal in a few months.
Ha! Never!
I’m 50 years old! I’ve been writing my whole life. It’s only in the last 4-5 years that I’ve had people really start to pay attention.
I signed my first book deal when I was in my 30s. Prior to that, I was the editor of an online journal. I also had a blog that made me $1,000 a month. There were all these little successes, but it’s only recently that the lessons I’ve learned have seemed to come together.
Even so, I’m still at the mercy of these platforms. If a nefarious force buys them up for the sake of completely controlling the propaganda mechanism (which they might do), I’ll be cut off from all of you again.
I think that’s why I’ve been writing so much lately. As the old song says, it is later than you think. It feels like that anyway.
But here’s the other important thing to remember: You don’t quit, no matter how hard it gets.
Believe me, I know better than anybody how frustrating the writing life can be. It’s also frustrating to speak the truth and have nobody believe you. You can’t stop. For the sake of humanity, for the sake of your kids, for the sake of everything, you have to keep going.
It will take a lot of voices to drown out that tidal wave of lies. You all have to be loud, and I can show you how.
You just have to keep in mind that this is a lifetime commitment. It’s not about fame. It’s not about riches.
It’s about doing what’s right.
Those of you who are actively building an audience on Substack, you have to use notes every day. Write 30-50 notes if you can. Publish your stories regularly. It doesn’t matter if nobody is reading.
Readers aren’t going to start showing up until there’s something to read. Shouting into the void is part of this. Believe me, that’s another thing I know.
But you have an advantage: ME!
I will do what I can to help you. I will share new tactics as I discover them. I’ll do my best to divert some attention your way.
With the challenges we’re facing today, we don’t need a savior, we need a coalition. We all need to work together. We all have to be active in some way. Something that seems as small as starting a substack, or writing an article for Medium can have a HUGE impact!
The writing advice that people get wrong is that success is going to happen overnight.
That’s not the way it works at all.
Writing is more like planting a seed for an oak tree so that your grandchildren can sit in the shade. If you think of it that way, you’ll find satisfaction in the work.
You’ll also make a difference.
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I so empathize with you and your writing ambitions. Keep it up. We need you 1