Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice

Never Say Never

If there's one thing I've learned about the art of writing it's this: never say never. 

When you do something creative, there's a perception that there is a right way to do something. And to a certain extent, that sort of thinking can be helpful. Education typically requires this way of thinking this way at least a little. In order to create, you need a base level of understanding of the fundamentals of the art. It helps if a musician knows the musical scale, if the sculptor understands the medium, if a writer understands story structure.

So yes: learning and understanding the basic of your art is helpful. Learning grammar, story structure, characterization, world building--it's all helpful. Some people will absorb this knowledge, like osmosis, simply by reading voraciously. I'd argue that most authors do this, at least on some level. 

But--once you understand your art, once you know how it rests inside your mind and your heart, once it has leaked into your blood and out your fingers...remember that there is freedom beyond method. 

There is no right way. 

This is the most terrifying and also the most true thing I can write about writing. There is no right way. This means you can outline or not, you can use story structure or not, you can create in whatever way you most want to. 

But this also means that there is no right way for you, for each novel. Within each novel. 

One of the most important things I ever did was break out of my comfort zone. Try something new. If you write sequentially, don't be afraid to...not. If you outline, don't be afraid to not. If you don't write in a genre, but have a story idea for another genre, do it. 

Be fearless. 

Write what you want. 

Write how you want. 

Create art.