5 Writer Rules Applied to Real Life
I was in a conversation the other day which was a bit ridiculous, but it made me think of the writerly rule “show, don’t tell”. So, for the fun of it, I made a list of different bits of sage advice for authors and how it can apply to real life.
Show, don’t tell. Ever met those people who talk a big game? Sure you have. They’re the baddest, the coolest, the strangest, the oddest, the most Hell-raising. Yeah, yeah. Every time you tell me how funny or weird you are, I find you to be a bit more dull. How about some show not tell?
Clarify. Writers carefully choose their words. In real life, people often throw around words without weighing their meaning and skimp on details which change the whole story.
Unbiased Editing. A manuscript isn’t truly complete without at least one unbiased person reading it and providing honest feedback. Sometimes it sucks. Okay, a lot of times it’s no fun at all. But it’s crucial for keeping your book in the realm of reality. So is it in real life: surrounding yourself with people who will tell you when you’re wrong and not just support all your bad decisions.
Save the cat. If you create a mostly unlikable main character, he or she needs at least one redeeming trait. Some refer to this as saving the cat. Some people could do for considering what replaces the “cat” in their life.
Keep moving forward. Stories aren’t supposed to be stagnant–and neither should life be!
We all know writing should reflect real life, but perhaps real life should reflect writing.
So, what do you think: what other bits of writer advice could be just as applicable in real life?
What Overlords Are Saying