Writing Advice From The Experts Part #1

One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment. – Hart Crane

Some of the best advice for writers in the 21st century comes from those who have seen their successes and offer advice from their own experience. Lets draw from that brain trust.

On Writing Well

Show don’t tell. – Henry James

Don’t say the old lady screamed — bring her on and let her scream. – Mark Twain

Cut out all those exclamation marks. An exclamation mark is like laughing at your own joke. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

First drafts are for learning what your novel or story is about. – Bernard Malamud

Usually, when people get to the end of a chapter, they close the book and go to sleep. I deliberately write a book so when the reader gets to the end of the chapter, he or she must turn one more page. When people tell me I’ve kept them up all night, I feel like I’ve succeeded. – Sidney Sheldon

Don’t mistake a good setup for a satisfying conclusion — many beginning writers end their stories when the...