Gareth Powell's Ten Tips For Novelists

[Brian G Turner]

Gareth Powell posted his tips to Twitter, then copied them over to his blog here:
http://www.garethlpowell.com/ten-tips-for-novelists/

Here's the simple version:

1. Never tell anyone your idea until you've written the first draft, otherwise you'll lose the impetus to tell the story

2. Don't waste time trying to write the perfect opening sentence. Chances are you'll have to change it later anyway.

3. Write first, edit later.

4. Break the story into a series of important events or revelations. Each event or revelation gets a scene.

5. Finish what you start. You can't tell if it's any good, or edit it to make it so, until it's finished.

6. Only send out your best work.

7. Accept that the first draft will be rough.

8. Avoid exhausting descriptive passages by using small details to suggest the bigger picture.

9. Bring scenes to life by making use of all the senses. What do your characters see, smell, taste, touch?

10. If you want people to read what you write, write about people.


Meanwhile, these are Sam Sykes's tips:
https://twitter.com/SamSykesSwears/status/613603677413113856

1. Shut up
2. Go write
3-10. Keep doing that

 

[Warren_Paul]

Meanwhile, these are Sam Sykes's tips:
https://twitter.com/SamSykesSwears/status/613603677413113856

1. Shut up
2. Go write
3-10. Keep doing that

Can't press the like button enough times.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Strongly agree with number two. I've had varying experiences of that, and rewrote the start to my second book several times. Number nine's a good point too.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Totally agree with 1 and 10, and 3 is true.

 

[Warren_Paul]

Depends on interpretation of 3 for me. I find what works for me is I write a scene, then the next day I review it and make edits before moving on to write the next scene after that. I suppose that's still "write first, edit later." -- he doesn't specify how much later "later" actually is.

As for #2, I'm right with you @thaddeus6th. I find it is the bit I change the most in the entire book, and usually by the time I get to "The end" I've decided to completely redo the beginning scene altogether.

 

[Vaz]

Good Tips I really like number 9

 

[Venusian Broon]

Dang, too late...I've discovered all of those already...


...Good rules for those that are starting out, as guidelines, I believe...