All creative works are subjective, both in how the piece is interpreted and how it is created.
You can find a hundred videos and blogs that will tell you a hundred different ways to write a book. It’s easy to get lost in the fray, so here are the most common writing myths I see and why you don’t need to believe them.
Myth 1: Writers only start when they have everything perfect.
Many new writers believe that they should only begin writing when they know everything: Every character, motivation, location, plot point, and detail. But the truth is, all of that is unnecessary. Most authors I know start writing with only an idea — what if a brother and sister are running down a staircase, yelling at each other for screwing up the mission as they are chased by guards. That scene, which was the first I wrote in my upcoming romance book, ended up being part of the climax of the story. When I started, I didn’t know what genre the book would be, but I found it as I wrote, and you can do the same. It’s okay to start before you have anything figured out.
Myth 2: You have to have degrees or certifications to write.
Most writers do not have a degree in English or Creative Writing, nor any certifications, so don’t let your lack of “credentials” hold you back. No formal education is required for creative writing, though it could help if you have the means and time to pursue it.
Myth 3: The first draft should be perfect.
Every new writer falls into this trap — that your first draft should be as good as the story is in your head — but the first draft is only meant to take your idea from your head and place it on the page. I like to think of it like clay for a potter. Potters do not throw clay onto the wheel and expect it to be the finished pot instantly. They have to work with their raw material to shape the final piece. Your first draft is like that raw material. You need something to exist before you can shape it into what you know it can be.
Myth 4: Writing is a talent that cannot be learned.
You do not need to be a genius to be a writer, and although some people have innate abilities for creative writing, it doesn’t mean they are automatically going to be better writers. Like everything else, writing is a skill that can be learned through practice. What makes people with innate abilities seem like geniuses is that they naturally love what they are doing, which means they put in the writing hours much sooner and faster than most of their peers. But you can catch up. It takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert — all you have to do is put in the time and watch how your writing improves month over month.
Myth 5: You can only be good if it’s perfectly grammatical.
Perfection is the thief of joy, and it’s also the thief of motivation. Some people worry that if they do not have perfect grammar, their story will fail. But this isn’t true. Take Fifty Shades of Grey, one of the most recent big hit books. It started on Wattpad before it became famous, and the author’s grammatical abilities leave a lot to be desired. In fact, for most of the book, the only punctuation is ellipses (…). Yet this book with poor grammar became a national and international hit. Grammar doesn’t matter as much as having a story that draws people in.
Myth 6: Writing should be eloquent and rich.
There are two groups of books for older audiences — the highbrow books that are more likely to go on to be classic novels and the casual reading books. Some new writers try to write in a more sophisticated manner, thinking that will bring them success, but much like grammar, the way you tell your story is not as important as having a story worth telling. Being stuffy, having sophisticated language, or trying to be a classic book will not mean your book will be liked. Write what comes naturally to you and write about things that matter to people across time.
Myth 7: There’s one path to being a professional writer.
This is an easy myth to believe when you listen to famous authors talk about how they write or what brought them success. It may seem that there is the only way to be famous and make money, so that’s the way you should do it. But the truth is, there is no one way. In fact, if you listen to famous authors talk about their journey, there is only one thing they have in common: They sat down and wrote. They dedicated themselves every day to the task. They learned, they took criticism, they put themselves out there and published as much as they could. How or at what point in their life they did those things is irrelevant. Just pushing yourself to be better is what will make you successful in the end.
Myth 8: The rules are always the rule.
In writing, you will be told a number of rules, such as show don't tell, no head hopping, write what you know. Although these are important parts of writing, they are not hard and fast truths that must be followed in every instance, all the time. There are plenty of situations where it is more appropriate to tell than show; otherwise, we could spend ages going through the character’s entire morning routine. There are times when head hopping adds greater understanding and depth to the story. And for most writers, especially in sci-fi and fantasy, you literally can’t write what you know because none of this world existed before. The rules will help you improve your writing skills, but they are meant to be broken when the story calls for it.
Myth 9: Write only when you’re inspired or know what to do next.
A lot of writers, especially intuitive or discovery writers, can feel like they should only write when their creative muse speaks to them. In those moments, the writing comes naturally, it comes fast and it’s good. However, if you sit around waiting for the muses, you’ll waste a lot of valuable time. The muse doesn’t have to speak for you to create excellent work and more often than not, the most important parts of writing are not fun or easy. So get to work even when you don’t know what to do next, when you’re not feeling creative and invite the muse to join you.
Myth 10: There is a perfect writing time, style, idea, and way to prepare.
Nothing in life is perfect, so why would it be perfect in writing? You may hear people say the perfect time to write is in the morning when your mind is fresh, or at night when there are fewer distractions. You may hear that you must create an outline or you’re going to waste time editing your draft. You have probably heard that you have to have a good idea and flesh it out before you begin writing or that a certain style of writing or character is popular so that’s what you should be writing. But none of that is correct.
The only perfect way to write is the way that works for you. If you’re a morning person, 5 am may be the perfect time to write, but I’d rather die than wake up that early. Meanwhile, most of my best writing sessions happen between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. when everyone else is asleep. However, I’ve also had highly productive sessions on my lunch break or in the middle of the morning when inspiration strikes.
There is no perfect way to prepare, only the way that helps you stay focused. For some of us discovery writers, outlines kill the desire to write rather than help, so if you hate outlining, don’t do it. Ideas do not have to be fully formed, they can start as a scene or a character that grows into an amazing story as you play with it.
Any other myths I forgot to add? Let me know.
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