🥑 MORE bad writing advice (q&a)

^{Pssst—read to the end for something special coming in Friday’s email!}

There’s no shortage of bad advice on the Internet.

Here’s some more that my readers have received:

I love how this comment shows us the practical effects of misguided writing advice. Strict adherence to a “principle” can lead us into murky waters, as we discussed in an earlier post. Imagine having a friend who always tried to show their emotions and desires instead of telling you what they needed every so often. Murky, indeed—and that makes it hard to form a connection. Same goes for characters.

Quick break—check out Cathryn’s new sci-fi Kickstarter!

Okay, back to business:

Look, ma, another false dichotomy!

I can’t say it any better than John Truby, author of my beloved craft book The Anatomy of Story:

Lots to unpack there. One thing I take away from this: if you don’t believe in what you’re writing, why would an agent? Write what you love and make it irresistible for the right audience .

Don’t take advice at face value. Consider it, play out the implications, and enjoy the process. You get to create stuff—isn’t that amazing?

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