Seen a lot of folks giving advice to so-called “aspiring” writers these days, so, I figured what the hell? Might as well throw my dubious nuggets of wisdom into the stew. See if any of this tastes right to you.
1. No More Aspiring, Dingbats
Here are the two states in which you may exist: person who writes, or person who does not. If you write: you are a writer. If you do not write: you are not. Aspiring is a meaningless null state that romanticizes Not Writing. It’s as ludicrous as saying, “I aspire to pick up that piece of paper that fell on the floor.” Either pick it up or don’t. I don’t want to hear about how your diaper’s full. Take it off or stop talking about it.
2. Kick Your Lowest Common Denominator In The Kidneys
You can aspire to be a lot of other things within the writing realm, and that’s okay. You can aspire to be a published author. Or a bestselling author. Or a professional freelance writer. Or an author who plagiarizes his memoir and gets struck with a wooden mallet wielded by Oprah live on primetime television. You should aspire to be a better writer. We all should. Nobody is at the top of his game. We can all climb higher.
3. Aspiring Writers, Far As The Eye Can See
Nobody respects writers, yet everybody wants to be one (probably because everybody wants to be one). Point is, you want to be a writer? Good for you. So does that guy. And that girl. And him. And her. And that old dude. And that young broad. And your neighbor. And your mailman. And that chihuahua. And that copy machine. Ahead of you is an ocean of wannabe ink-slaves and word-earners. I don’t say this to daunt you. Or to be dismissive. But you have to differentiate yourself and the way you do that is by doing rather than be pretending. You will climb higher than them on a ladder built from your wordsmithy.
4. We All Booby-Trap The Jungle Behind Us
There exists no one way toward becoming a professional writer. You cannot perfectly walk another’s journey. That’s why writing advice is just that — it’s advice. It’s mere suggestion. Might work. Might not. Lots of good ideas out there, but none of it is gospel. One person will tell you this is the path. Another will point the other way and say that is the path. They’re both right for themselves, and they’re both probably wrong for you. We all chart our own course and burn the map afterward. It’s just how it is. If you want to find the way forward, then stop looking for maps and start walking.
5. The Golden Perfect Path Of The Scrivening Bodhisattvas
Point is, fuck the One True Way. Doesn’t exist. Nobody has answers — all you get are suggestions. Anybody who tells you they have The Answer is gassy with lies. Distrust such certainty and play the role of skeptic.
6. Yes, It Always Feels This Way
You will always have days when you feel like an amateur. When it feels like everybody else is better than you. You will have this nagging suspicion that someone will eventually find you out, call you on your bullshit, realize you’re the literary equivalent of a vagrant painting on the side of a wall with a piece of calcified poop. You will have days when the blank page is like being lost in a blizzard. You will sometimes hate what you wrote today, or yesterday, or ten years ago. Bad days are part of the package. You just have to shut them out, swaddle your head in tinfoil, and keep writing anyway.
7. Figure Out How You Write, Then Do That
You learn early on how to write. But for most authors it takes a long time to learn how they in particular write. Certain processes, styles, genres, character types, POVs, tenses, whatever — they will come more naturally to you than they do to others. And some won’t come naturally at all. Maybe you’ll figure this out right out of the gate. But for most, it just takes time — time filled with actual writing — to tease it out.
8. Finish Your Shit
I’m just going to type this out a dozen times so it’s clear: finish your shit. Finish your shit. Finish your shit. Finish your shit. Finish your shit. Finish your shit! FINISH YOUR SHIT. Finish. Your. Shit. Fiiiiniiiish yooooour shiiiiit. COMPLETO EL POOPO. Vervollständigen Sie Ihre Fäkalien! Finish your shit.
9. You Need To Learn The Rules. . .
…in order to know when they must be broken.
10. You Need To Break The Rules. . .
… in order to know why they matter.
11. What I Mean By Rules Is–
Writing is a technical skill. A craft. You can argue that storytelling is an art. You can argue that art emerges from good writing the way a dolphin riding a jet-ski emerges the longer you stare at a Magic Eye painting. But don’t get ahead of yourself, hoss. You still need to know how to communicate. You need to learn the laws of this maddening land. I’ve seen too many authors want to jump ahead of the skill and just start telling stories — you ever try to get ahead of your own skill level? I used to imagine pictures in my head and I’d try to paint them in watercolor and they’d end up looking like someone barfed up watery yogurt onto the canvas. I’d rail against this: WHY DON’T THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL? Uhh, because you don’t know how to actually paint, dumb-fuck. You cannot exert your talent unless you first have the skill to bolster that talent.
12. Oh, The Salad Days Of College!
Why are the days of our youth known as “salad days?” Is “salad” really the image that conjures up the wild and fruitful times of our adolescence? “Fritos,” maybe. Or “Beer keg.” I dunno. What were we talking about? Ah! Yes. College. Do you need it? Do you need a collegiate education, Young Aspirant to the Penmonkey Order? Need, no. To get published nobody gives a flying rat penis whether or not you have a degree. They just care that you can write. Now, college and even post-grad work may help you become a better writer — it did for me! — though, I’d argue that the money you throw into the tank getting there may have been better spent on feeding yourself while you just learn how to write in whatever mousetrap you call a domicile. You can only learn so much from someone teaching you how to write. Eventually you just have to write.
13. Reading Does Not Make You A Writer
That’s the old piece of advice, isn’t it? “All you need to do is read and write to be a writer.” You don’t learn to write through reading anymore than you learn carpentry by sitting on a chair. You learn to write by writing. And, when you do read something, you learn from it by dissecting it — what is the author doing? How are characters and plot drawn together? You must read critically — that is the key.
14. Here Is Your Tin Cup, Your Hobo Bindle, Your Rat-Nest Undies
You’re going to starve for a while, so just get used to that now. Don’t quit your day job. Yet.
15. Commerce Is Not The Enemy Of Art
If you think commerce somehow devalues art, then we’re done talking. I got nothin’ for you. Money doesn’t devalue art any more than art devalues money — commerce can help art, hurt art, or have no effect. The saying isn’t Money is the root of all evil. It’s The love of money is the root of all evil. Commerce only damages art when the purpose of the art is only money. So it is with your writing.
16. Overnight Success Probably Isn’t
Suddenly on your radar screen is a big giant glowing mass like you’d see when a swarm of xenomorphs is closing fast on your position and it’s like, “Hey! This author appeared out of nowhere! Overnight success! Mega-bestseller! Million-dollar deal!” And then you get it in your head: “I can do that, too. I can go from a relative nobody to America’s Favorite Author, and Oprah will keep me in a gilded cage and she’ll feed me rare coffees whose beans were first run through the intestinal tract of a dodo bird.” Yeah, except, those who are “overnight successes,” rarely appear out of nowhere. It’s the same way that an asteroid doesn’t “just appear” before destroying earth and plunging it into a dust-choked dead-sun apocalypse: that fucker took a long time to reach earth, even if we didn’t notice. Overnight successes didn’t win the lottery. They likely toiled away in obscurity for years. The lesson is: work matters.
17. Meet The Universe In The Middle
My theory in life and writing is this — and it’s some deeply profound shit, so here, lower the lights, put on a serious turtleneck with a houndstooth elbow-patched jacket over it, and go ahead and smoke this weird hash I stole from an Afghani cult leader. The theory is this: meet the universe halfway and the universe will meet you in return. Explained more completely: there exist components of any career (but writing in particular) that are well beyond your grasp. You cannot control everything. Some of it is just left to fate. But, you still have to put in the work. You won’t get struck by lightning if you don’t run out the storm. You must maximize your chances. You do this by meeting the universe halfway. You do this by working.
18. Self-Publishing Is Not The Easy Way Out
Self-publishing is a viable path. It is not, however, the easy path. Get shut of this notion. You don’t just do a little ballerina twirl and a book falls out of your vagina. (And if that does happen, please see a doctor. Especially if you’re a dude.) It takes a lot of effort to bring a proper self-published book to life. Divest yourself of the idea that it’s the cheaper, easier, also-ran path. Faster, yes. But that’s all.
19. No, Total Stranger, I Don’t Want To Read Your Stuff
I really don’t. And neither does any other working author. It’s nothing personal. We just don’t know you from any other spam-bot lurking in the wings ready to dump a bucket of dick pills and Nigerian money over our heads. That’s not to say we won’t be friendly or are unwilling to talk to you about your work, but we’re already probably neck deep in the ordure of our own wordsmithy. (Or we’re drunk and confused at a Chuck-E-Cheese somewhere.) We cannot take the time to read the work of total strangers. Be polite if you’re going to ask. And damn sure don’t get mad when we say no.
20. Your Jealousy And Depression Do Not Matter
All writers get down on themselves. It’s in our wheelhouse. We see other writers being successful and at first we’re all like, “Yay, good for that person!” but then ten minutes later we get this sniper’s bullet of envy and this poison feeling shoots through the center of our brain like a railroad spike: BUT WHY NOT ME? And then we go take a bath with a toaster. Fuck that. Those feelings don’t matter. They don’t help you. They may be normal, they may be natural, but they’re not useful and they’re certainly not interesting.
21. Talking About Writing Is Not The Same As Writing
Needs no further comment.
22. Pack Your Echo Chamber With C4 And Blow It Skyward
Aspiring writers lock themselves away in echo chambers filled with other aspiring writers where one of two things often happen: one, everybody gives each other happy handjobs and nobody writes anything bad and everybody likes everything and it’s a big old self-congratulatory testicle-tickling festival; two, it’s loaded for bear by people who don’t know how to give good criticism and the criticism is destructive rather than constructive and it’s just a cloud of bad vibes swirling around your head like a plague of urinating bats. If you find yourself in this kind of echo chamber, blow a hole in the wall and crawl to freedom.
23. Learn To Take A Punch
Agents, editors, reviewers, readers, trolls on the Internet, they’re going to say things you don’t want to hear. A thick skin isn’t enough. You need a leathery carapace. A chitinous exoskeleton. Writing is a hard-knock career where you invite a bevy of slings and arrows into your face and heart. It is what it is.
24. You Can Do Whatever The Fuck You Want
As a writer, the world you create is yours and yours alone. Someone will always be there to tell you what you can’t do, but they’re nearly always wrong. You’re a writer. You can make anything up that you want. It may not be lucrative. It may not pay your mortgage. But we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about what’s going on between you and the blank page before you. It’s just you and the story. If you love it and you want to write it, then wire your trap shut and write it. And write it well. Expect nothing beyond this — expect no reward, expect no victory parade — but embrace the satisfaction it gives you to do your thing.
25. The One No-Fooling Rule
Is “write.” Write, write, write, motherfucking write. Write better today than you did yesterday and better tomorrow than you did today. Onward, fair penmonkey, onward. If you’re not a writer, something will stop you — your own doubts, hate from haters, a bad review, poor time management, a hungry raccoon that nibbles off your fingers, whatever. If you’re a writer, you’ll write. And you’ll never stop to look back.
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Al says:
Thank you so much for writing this! I hate how so many people aspire to write and never do, hence ‘aspire’. This really clicked with me. :3
February 25, 2014 — 4:55 PM
TheBilk says:
Great advice! Thank you so much for this. Best advice I’ve read in a long time. You wouldn’t believe how many people think you need to read over a 100 books a year to be a good writer. They are a bunch of dipshits in my opinion. I do love reading, but i read at most 5 or 6 books a year if im lucky. While writing is one of my top priorities, I have other things I love doing as well. The best way to be a good writer is to keep writing.
February 27, 2014 — 6:01 AM
Good Lord. says:
Good job! Everything is so clear to me now. Thank you for your intelligent input.
Come read my “25 things I’d like to say to pretentious bloggers” post!
March 4, 2014 — 11:06 PM
Ada Wong, Raccoon City says:
“Those feelings don’t matter. They don’t help you. They may be normal, they may be natural, but they’re not useful and they’re certainly not interesting.”–Chuck Wendig
Chuck, I especially LOVE that last bit you wrote about a writer’s depression/jealousy/problems -“They’re certainly not interesting.” You need to get on the mountain top & shout that. I think this jealousy, but especially DEPRESSION is just…yuck! There is this dark strain of depression that flows throughout the community & it is NOT interesting in the slightest, it’s boring & tedious & I wish those people would just go pay a SHRINK somewhere. They’re always down & they always solicit people to read their stuff, and you go to read it thinking it’s a story that needs feedback, when in fact, it’s a bottomless pit of despair put into words. You try to tell them to go see somebody & they say “No, no…”. These types make me sick. Sorry about this rant but I wish they’d just go into another field and just get lost.
March 13, 2014 — 11:02 AM
Paige Trudeau says:
Splendiferous!
April 9, 2014 — 3:01 PM
Travis says:
Chuck, I started writing a novel on 3/24/14. I gave myself a 99 day timeline. I will be finished with the MS on 4/12/14. 20 days, over 85,000 words. It will need work, but the drive to finish what I started is owed in no small part to your blog and your straightforward words of encouragement to writers. While I set the MS aside to forget it, I would like to read your work. Which of your novels are you most proud of? Genre doesn’t matter, I’m open to great storytelling, period. Thanks!
April 10, 2014 — 7:20 AM
terribleminds says:
Well-done, Travis!
I’m particularly proud of the Miriam Black series. At least as a good place to start with my work!
— c.
April 10, 2014 — 7:26 AM
Alex Kindra says:
oh…. my…..God…. I totally needed this….. TIME TO RETURN TO MY BOOK!!!!
April 11, 2014 — 8:33 PM
Xad says:
Thank You… I’ve been needing to hear those words. I want to write and have started my first book. I was unconfident in myself and my special ways but thanks to you, dear writerer, I know my future can go forward
April 12, 2014 — 12:41 PM
Sam says:
This will become my mantra. Thankyou. Sometimes you need someone to speak the words you are thinking.
April 28, 2014 — 5:21 PM
Virginia Llorca says:
Heartiest thanks for telling me I can do whatever the fuck I want. Not counting me, that’s one. Good thing I always knew it, eh?
April 29, 2014 — 1:41 AM
あだ Thats not a real name, and yes its japanese. says:
This is basically what I will do
“write.” Write, write, write, motherfucking write.”
You said something about aspiring authors, either you write or don’t. If you aspire, you won’t get anywhere, just fricking write.
1 year, or two, I lost track I have been sitting on this idea I’ve had. I want to make it so perfect I’m worried that I am not good enough to make it, but screw it this topic helped, I’m going for it. I know that I can write but I’m scared it wont be perfect, but hey nothing is perfect. Hey, at least I know its way better than the original version (Where I actually got to 70 pages but it literally had no plot and completely random things happened. I’m talking about a very basic level where the main character is an alien scout comes to earth then about half the pages later he/she can speak English perfectly and is in a human military base for no reason fighting a bear. Don’t ask…. I had fun doing random crap with no point at the time)
Thanks for writing this. I’m going to write a novel (With a plot, don’t worry I learned a lot) that I will actually finish.
May 1, 2014 — 9:36 PM
Pete Fisher says:
Cheers mate. (Wipes a tear from cheek) I needed that.
May 8, 2014 — 8:28 AM
Alexes Razevich says:
Brilliant!
May 28, 2014 — 6:43 PM
J.A. says:
Standing on my polka-dotted printed chair (…my lucky, superfluous, no armed chair…designated FOR WRITING kind of seat) and clapping while laughing my ass off. Perfectly said, Chuck. Perfectly worded and spoke to this writer’s heart (…even while she wipes the tears of laughter from her face). Something, one of the few things actually, that is personally printed and will be re-read daily in my writing journey.
God. We authors seem to get all up in our own a**es, don’t we? Thanks for reminding me not to take it all so effing seriously!
May 29, 2014 — 4:05 PM
Leon S Kennedy, Raccoon City says:
Chuck, you said, “…ready to dump a bucket of dick pills and Nigerian money over our heads.”
Chuck, you’re funny, you know it? I come here and get a good laugh. Yeah…
June 1, 2014 — 7:58 AM
Amber says:
This is by far the best advice I have ever heard. Inspirational beyond measure. Love your humor! 🙂
June 2, 2014 — 11:07 PM
Gary J Byrnes says:
Great writing, Senor Penmonkey.
June 20, 2014 — 6:36 PM
Nellie Hanna says:
the publishers are about as a bulls ass in fly time . not excepting manuscript’s unless you go thought a agent. what the hell for????
June 25, 2014 — 1:44 PM
Nellie Hanna says:
no one is interested in a new book unless you pay them money they don’t care if its any good or not!
June 25, 2014 — 1:47 PM
erlindashen says:
This shit is epic. Can’t wait to read more.
June 29, 2014 — 7:53 PM
Krista Shae says:
This. I’m not sure what else to say… Except that it is brilliant. I was laughing so hard at the “finish your shit” bit that I cried through the rest of it. You’ve made me feel better already about the novel I’ve been working on (an idea that’s been going on for nearly 8 years now) and I will finish it. It may not be today, and it may not be tomorrow, but whenever I’m feeling down about the story or writing, I plan to re-read this blog. Thank you.
July 25, 2014 — 3:52 PM
Katrina Thorne says:
“Finish your shit” is the single greatest piece of advice I’ve ever read. I found this post a year or so ago, and I’ve been in love with your blog ever since. Thank you for being such an inspiration, Mr. Wendig 🙂 I quoted you on my own blog- http://katrinathorne.com/post/94474677055/
August 11, 2014 — 7:40 PM
nellie hanna says:
finished my book about a year ago but cant come up with the 2500 they want to publish it and they have not even read the dam thing sick or what, not much faith in them.
August 11, 2014 — 9:12 PM
dsievers2014 says:
Why would you want to come up with THEIR $2500 ? Your writing is their treat, for which they should pay YOU. Stick to it. THEY PAY YOU. LET’S ALL SAY IT TOGETHER !! THEY PAY US !!
September 23, 2014 — 8:10 PM
momfeld says:
I think I love you. I was at #20 and I needed to hear this. Looking forward to reading all you have to say.
August 27, 2014 — 10:21 AM
L.L. Akers says:
I feel like I just got a spanking… And I liked it. You’re my new hero.
August 29, 2014 — 3:01 PM
LM says:
Thank you. I’ve been suffering from ‘writer’s block’ and to hear someone say, “Just finish the shit’ Is a good kick in the butt. Once you finish it, you can then polish it. I can’t remember which author it was, but he had a best selling first novel and tried for the rest of his life to write a second novel but never finished it. I guess he was afraid it wouldn’t be as good as the first. I don’t want to live and die like that.
September 2, 2014 — 9:08 AM
BizarreDancer says:
‘Finish your shit’ has never wrung more true…I will not ‘aspire’ to be more diligent…it shall be done. This was really awesome. For both the honesty, and the humour that softened the blow 😛
September 3, 2014 — 5:00 AM
Delores says:
Wow.
September 12, 2014 — 10:50 AM
Joanna Swank says:
Hoinestly at first I was like “what is this s**t”. Then I reread the title and kept on reading. There is nothing such as aspiring writer. Aspiring author yes because many people don’t know what to do when there MS is done. Kudos and you have gained yet another follower
September 26, 2014 — 6:20 PM
Joe says:
Just knocked out my first chapter, here’s to the rest.
October 15, 2014 — 8:04 PM
Leah Ryals says:
Fantastic. Completely Agree.
October 25, 2014 — 6:44 PM
Brentlee Ryan says:
Ok… I have to say it. I love this! Its so honest and so real! Nicely done!!
November 11, 2014 — 10:04 PM
I.C. Rivera says:
This is the best article ever written!
January 3, 2015 — 8:56 PM