How to write a book, or practical advice for aspiring writers. Advice from famous writers creative motivation and secrets of literary work from professionals Advice to the reader from famous writers

People read books, sometimes with interest, and sometimes with delight. Other literary works are quickly forgotten. Sometimes stories and novels remain unread. But in any case, the author, whose name is printed on the cover, seems to be a romantic person. To an ordinary person who goes to work at nine o'clock, it often seems that this is an enviable lot - to work whenever he wants, not to listen to the boss's tedious remarks, receive large fees and live in a special world where fantasies reign, conflict fictional characters and strange things happen. In order to get there, you need to know how writers become. But the writers themselves are in no hurry to share this secret of theirs, although they seem to be hiding nothing in words.

If you can, don't write

Sitting down at the desk, everyone who has chosen literature as a profession for himself should remember this responsibility. But it is not enough to make this choice yourself, it is necessary that the love for art be mutual.

The writer is the reader

Picking up a fountain pen or sitting down one day at a computer keyboard and trying to express in a literal format the totality of surging feelings is very difficult. It interferes and distracts everything, the words are hard to fit next to each other, thoughts seem beaten and all the time there is a feeling that someone has already written it. There is nothing wrong with that, especially if the new author himself read a lot. Novice writers often want to become Dostoevsky or Chekhov right away, and not everyone succeeds in this. In this sense, it is interesting to observe the metamorphosis of Anton Pavlovich's consciousness, which can be traced in his writings from the first volume to the last. From "Letter to a learned neighbor" to "Bishop" "a huge distance" (in the words of another classic). A more encouraging effect is given by reading modern writers, but not everyone can endure them for a long time.

An embarrassing business question

The great Russian poet spoke about inspiration and a manuscript that can be sold, and it is difficult to disagree with Alexander Sergeevich on this. But in this age of continuous marketing and management, supply far exceeds demand. Not all novice writers listen to the above advice about not taking up the pen without unnecessary need, therefore, without exception, all editorial offices are inundated with manuscripts, most of which are doomed to oblivion. A talented author will need the main personal quality for any person - patience. At the same time, you need to remember that the book should be interesting. Publishing houses are commercial enterprises, their goal is to make a profit, their products must be sold. Before you sit down at the table, you should soberly assess the readership potential of your future work and draw up a psychological portrait of a potential reader. Managed? Happened? Then get to work!

What to write about?

What fiction reading today? It is believed that in each publishing house there is an expert who knows the answer to this question. His job title is Publisher. Theoretically, he can predict the speed of circulation sales, its volume, in other words, what determines the "commercial potential of the product." Probably, publishers are often mistaken, but it is very difficult to check this.

Children's writers are rare in our time, and it is not for nothing that the books of Suteev, Nosov, Prishvin and many other classics of the genre withstand numerous circulations, and the demand for them does not fall. The most popular genres are melodrama, detective story, mysticism, fantasy and some others that fall under the definition of youth culture. Read today housewives (not all, of course), students and intellectuals of the Soviet conscription, not yet finished with perestroika-shootouts of the last two decades. Modern writers, if they want to become famous, simply have to take this fact into account when choosing the stylistic direction of their works. They must create for their readers. There will be no others, and these are becoming less and less ...

How to write

All our fellow citizens went to school. So everyone can read. And write too. But this does not mean that the profession of a writer is public. It needs to be learned, it's an art. And like any art, it consists of two main parts - talent and craft. There is also a third ingredient - labor, but more on that later. It is possible to dream of being creative from childhood, especially if you have the ability. But where to study as a writer? The answer to this question seems obvious: of course, at the philological faculty! There certainly teachers know how to express thoughts! Yes, they know, but most often about how it is impossible. Graduates of literary faculties are fluent in theory, they know how to correctly compose phrases, they are familiar with the rules of linguistics, punctuation and, of course, spelling. That is why, apparently, they themselves most often do not write anything.

non-professionals

And writers of the past, and contemporary writers, as a rule, come to art from completely different professions. Detectives are composed by former law enforcement officers, melodramas are created by teachers or engineers. Chekhov was a zemstvo doctor, and Tolstoy an officer. Does this mean that they did not learn the craft? Far from it. They simply comprehended its subtleties, not sitting at a student desk, but in completely different places. Self-education is the best kind of education. How writers become today is a special topic. Literature has become a business, not everyone is allowed into it, and the artistic merits of works are not always the criteria. But about old days Ivan Shmelev said. "How I Became a Writer" is a story filled with humor, but it also has very serious moments. It truthfully describes the first semi-childish “creepy” story, the received fee of 80 rubles (quite a decent amount at that time) and one’s own surname on the cherished page of the Russian Review, which seems alien. It is clear to the reader that since the events described, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge, and there have been many changes in the author's worldview.

About words, living and dead

Typically, work on literary work starts with an idea. In the life of every person there are moments that deserve to be told about them. Not everyone has a need for such a presentation, but if it is, it is worth considering technical side its implementation. How writers become can be judged by what they must be able to do. First, there is such a thing as a good syllable. It involves the observance of certain rules, among which we can mention various rather formal points and the most common mistakes allowed by novice authors (for example, in the case of a hat that fell off while “passing by station N”). Can be used as a tutorial good book"The Word Living and Dead" written by Nora Gal.

There is also such a thing as identity. It is manifested in the features of the speech of the characters, their recognition. A woman speaks differently in life than a man villager different from the speech of a city dweller. However, there must be a measure in this, otherwise it will be difficult for the reader to be given the text. Good taste and the fascination of the narrative will give the book undoubted merits, and in this case it will become loved by many.

Descriptions of some professional moments sometimes require deep knowledge. For example, the actions of a pilot at the controls cannot be described by an author if he himself has never flown an aircraft. Unprofessionalism is immediately visible, so it is advisable to avoid such moments so as not to become a target for fair criticism. However, to distract the reader on an acute special questions also not worth it, unless, of course, a work of art is being written, and not a textbook.

preliminary criticism

It seems to every author that he made humanity happy with his work, and this is completely normal. After all, otherwise it was not worth taking up the pen. Another question is to what extent the opinion of a young (not necessarily in terms of age) writer corresponds to objective reality. Not everyone has the talent of a writer, but you can determine its presence by letting you read your own opus different people. It should be borne in mind that good acquaintances, friends and true friends are rarely able to say cruel words, like “you, brother, are mediocre”, or “old man, you wrote a story that is boring to the point of yawning”. Therefore, it is best to opt for those readers who are more free to express their opinions. A great option is a school teacher of literature (and an excellent reason to visit a teacher, especially on Teacher's Day or another holiday). The problem is that she does not always have time, but if the author showed success in her subject at one time, she will certainly read it, and even with a red pencil in her hand, and this is an invaluable help. There are also colleagues at work (if they are not subordinates, of course). In general, here the author has the cards in hand, he knows better who can be a preliminary censor and who is not. And you also need to be a psychologist in order to understand whether the reader liked the work or not. Our people are cultured, even too ...

About volumes

Writing a couple of stories is not all. You could say it's nothing at all. Before you become a famous writer, you have to work hard. This means that only the writer who can offer the publisher a full-fledged book, or rather a few, has a chance for publication. And this is a dozen and a half printed sheets (each of about 40 thousand characters with spaces), up to half a million characters in total (different publishers have different requirements). Two or three short stories can be published in an almanac, but in this case there can be no question of publishing an independent book. Therefore, you need to be patient and work, and without a 100% guarantee of success. Another reason to think about whether it is necessary to make such sacrifices ...

How to achieve mastery

Any skill is achieved by practice. Variety performers believe that singing in restaurants is an excellent vocal school. For a novice writer, journalism or copywriting can become such a crucible of skill and professionalism. The ability to coherently express one's thoughts in the form of text is a habit that borders on automatism. An experienced writer of articles will never use the same words in adjacent sentences (except as a special device), pay attention to style, maintain the rhythm of the story and at the same time develop his own style, characteristic of every original writer. These skills are very important, they will be useful when creating works of art, regardless of genre.

How to publish a book?

And so the book is written. The last doubts have passed, I want to publish it. The author is already in general terms he knows how others become writers, and he wants to try it himself. The desire to send the manuscript to some publishing house seems quite natural, and the hope for a positive decision of the editors regarding publication is equally justified. Novikov-Priboy, Jack London and many other Russians and foreign writers did exactly that. They received fees, at first very modest, and then quite serious. O. Henry, for example, published his first stories while in prison.

But the experience of past centuries is not yet a reason for excessive optimism. The manuscript is considered for a long time, and very often the answer contains the standard text that it is "not of commercial interest." Should I be upset about this? Of course, it's a shame, but you should not fall into despair. In the end, the publishing house can be understood. Printing books is a business, and all business people are unwilling to invest in projects that have dubious financial prospects. Printing is not cheap these days.

The path to fame is winding and difficult, but there are still chances to overcome it. Firstly, there is more than one publishing house in our country. And secondly, success can be achieved in another way (in the case of one's own confidence that the book will be a reader's success). The advantage of our time is that, having spent your money, you can print everything by choosing your own cover, format, and illustrations. If you need the services of an editor, then you will also have to pay for them. By the way, many Russian writers published for the first time at their own expense in the past. There is nothing shameful in such an approach. In addition, if you're lucky, you can find a sponsor who will pay for the services of the printing house. In case of success, it would be useful to return the funds spent to him, and even with interest, because, laying out "hard money", a person (or organization) takes a risk. At the very least, it is worthwhile to stipulate the terms of sponsorship in advance.

It is best to choose a publishing house that has its own chain of bookstores, otherwise a situation may arise that plunges many aspiring authors into awe. The writer receives a large mountain of packages of his own works and does not know what to do with them. In this case, you have to deal with the marketing of literature on your own, negotiating with trading organizations about the sale. Experience may not be enough, besides, many stores are used to working with their own suppliers and sometimes refuse to cooperate, just to “not confuse accounting”. In general, there are many difficulties, and most importantly, you have to overcome them on your own.

New opportunities

Modern writers have access to means to achieve fame that the great writers of the past did not have. Every day, in any weather and almost around the clock, hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions, of people sit in their homes and apartments and look on the Internet for something interesting to read. On specialized sites, any person who considers his work talented can submit it to the general public. A novice writer should not immediately think about a high (and generally some) fee, so there is an easy way to evaluate success own creativity, by publishing their opuses on some popular page for free, based on reviews. After making sure that the reader is interested in the work, you can try to sell the manuscript on paid sites.

Writers are not born, they are made. Do you think that Leo Tolstoy or Jack London just sat down for desk and created your first masterpiece? By no means!

Being a writer is a great job, and if you decide to embark on this difficult path, get ready for a serious struggle. In this article, we will talk about what every aspiring author faces.

Now many people earn by writing articles and texts. However, if you decide to become not just a reviewer, but want to publish your book, you need to understand what you may encounter in the process of working on your brainchild.

1. Daily hard work. Most beginners think that you only need to write when the muse visits you. This is fundamentally wrong! You will have to write every day, and not be limited to a couple of pages, but at least a dozen. Moreover, it is quite possible that out of these ten pages, only half of the sheet will remain in the end - this is completely unimportant! The main thing is to do a certain amount of work every day.
2. Forget big money. For a while. Perhaps on for a long time. Until you become popular writer, you will be paid mere pennies. So, the average fee for the first book is 15-20 thousand rubles. Moreover, sometimes the author does not receive a penny - in such cases, publishers can come up with hundreds of excuses and feed you breakfast until the second or even third book is released. Sooner or later the money will come, as long as you don't give up and keep writing.
3. Learning is light. Some aspiring writers consider themselves very talented and think they don't need to learn to be a writer. As a rule, they do not publish a single book. Even if you have a good style and style, do not shy away from the advice and recommendations of experienced authors. Also, it would not be superfluous to take some kind of training course like the “Money Webwriting. From A to Z ”- you may not be able to release a book, but you will acquire useful skills and, possibly, a second profession.
4. Trolls and witches of the literary world. In the book business, as in any other field of activity, there are many unpleasant personalities. Get ready to meet fraudulent publishers, vicious critics, lazy editors, slackers from the administration and other actors who will put a spoke in your wheels, trying to ruin your mood along the way.
5. Prepare for defeat. Unfortunately, our life is such that there are much fewer victories in it than defeats. Be prepared for anything: as a novice author, publishers don’t need you a priori, editors can throw your novel into the trash without even reading the introduction, readers will not want to buy your book, although they will read it with interest via the Internet. Even your family will consider you a loser and repeat that you can’t earn money writing. However, as well as fame. This period can be the most difficult for you - you just need to survive it, because everything will go much easier after that!

Before you start writing a book, think carefully - do you really need it? Maybe better

”I remember a lot of people. Firstly, Ann managed to tell the story of her life in a very interesting way. Secondly, the book has a lot useful tips for writers that can be put into practice. It would be foolish to believe the advice of a writer whose book frankly failed or would be uninteresting.

Finding advice for aspiring writers isn't hard at all. Only on Lifehacker there are already much more of them than. Therefore, I tried to choose the most interesting, and most importantly, previously unknown tips. I had to re-read the book almost a second time, but it was worth it.

You won't always like what you write

Nine times out of ten I don't like what I write. When I reread the drafts and articles that were written to the table, I feel a little uneasy. Unfortunately, there is no other way to get better. In order to improve, you will need to write a lot. And you will not always like the result. This is fine.

Publishing is not as important as many people think

It's like thinking that a tea ceremony is needed for the sake of tea. In fact, the ceremony is needed for the sake of the ceremony. So it is with writing.

Creativity is necessary for the writer in itself - to write. You should not strive to have your book or article published.

Publication should clearly be on your priority list, but don't put it first. Write for the sake of writing.

Writing well means telling the truth

It seems that the truth is the easiest to write. After all, it is much more difficult to first come up with something, give it a form and write. In fact, it's not like that. To write in such a way that it is interesting and understandable to the reader is as difficult as bathing a cat.

If you don't know what to write about, start from childhood

Write about the very beginning. About the time when you just started to realize yourself and the world around you. If your childhood was bad, you will get a gloomy story, if you have a good one, you will get a bright and colorful story. However, no matter what your childhood was, at first the result of your work will still be terrible, but the main thing is to start.

Anyone who survives childhood has accumulated enough material for the rest of his life.

Flannery O'Connor

When you start to remember all the details of childhood, there can be so much material that you don’t understand how you can write about everything at all. In this case, narrow the scope and write about individual events, time periods or people.

Sit down to write at the same time every day

Lamott says that such a ritual will teach the subconscious mind to engage in creative activity. Sit down at the table at 9 o'clock in the morning, or at 7 o'clock in the evening, or at 2 o'clock in the morning - whichever you prefer. For the first hour, you will probably just stare at a white sheet of paper or a computer screen like an idiot. Then you will begin to swing from side to side. Then you will want to pick your nose - do not avoid this. You will start cracking your fingers, stretching, petting a cat, biting your nails or biting your lip. And only then you may be able to start writing. Hold on until this moment.

It is better to write in small portions

If you have an incredible job in mind, then because of the fear of its size, you may fall into a stupor. Write in small chunks. Don't be afraid to take breaks and rest.

Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. All you see is that the headlights are snatching out of the darkness, and yet you can go all the way that way.

Edgar Doctorow

You don't have to see the whole road right away - the nearest couple of meters is enough. It’s the same with writing: don’t try to master everything at once, but write in small portions - so you don’t go crazy.

Don't be afraid of disgusting sketches

When you read a book by Stephen King or Salinger, you think they get these stories right the first time. But it's not. Everyone has good writers there are first disgusting sketches. And then the second, third, fourth. Then comes the turn of a tolerable draft, and only after it something sensible turns out.

Almost everyone, even great writers, finds creativity difficult. And the only way to start writing is to jot down a weak, disgusting draft.

Perfectionism is the enemy of the writer

The desire to make perfect will haunt you all the time. On the one hand, this is good, on the other hand, it kills life in the text. Trying to get rid of unnecessary garbage, you will scribble, reduce and change the text until it becomes dry and lifeless. Know the measure.

The author must have

Think about your favorite actors. Each of you will definitely have a couple. Surely you are ready to watch even the most terrible movie if your favorite is filmed there, right? Why, you would watch the weather forecast without stopping, if your favorite actor was leading it.

If your view of life coincides with the views of the reader and you manage to express those thoughts that also occurred to the reader, then it is no longer so important for him what happens in your book. He will read it anyway.

Test your material on someone

Find good friend, a relative or colleague, and ask him or her to impartially evaluate what you have written. They don't have to be writers too, you're probably writing for ordinary people. It is much easier for an outsider's eye to see all the flaws and gaps in your text, and they are there, no doubt.

Writing well is a useful skill, and it's not that hard to develop it. The best way- through "", a free and cool writing course from the editors of Lifehacker. You will find theory, many examples and homework. Get it right - it will be easier to complete test and become our author. Subscribe!

Beginning writer- 17 secrets of success:

1. Never leave your best for last. Reveal yourself immediately and then see what happens. The better the beginning, the better the continuation.

2. Opening a paragraph, sentence, line, phrase, word, title - is the beginning of the most important part of your work. This sets the tone and lets the reader know that you are a commanding writer.

3. The first duty of a writer is to entertain. Readers lose interest with descriptions and abstract philosophies. They want entertainment. But they feel cheated if they have not learned anything while having fun.

4. Show, not tell or tendentiously state.

6. The work is much more important than anything. Readers (and publishers) care less about skill than content. The question they ask is not "How did you get to be a writer?" but "How well is the work written?".

7. These rules are rather contradictory. Such is the nature of rules in art.

8. All entries create a conflict. Give quality attention to opposition and good lines. The power of the antagonists should equal the power of the protagonists.

9. Switch frequently. Try sentences of different structures and types. Create a good mix of narratives, descriptions, expositions, and dialogues.

10. Be careful with the word. One word, like a drop of iodine in a gallon of water, can change the color of your manuscript.

11. Provide the reader with a closing. The last sentences of the story echo something that happened before. Life goes in circles. “If your first chapter has a gun, then the book ends with a gun” (En Rule)

12. By the end of the work, the conflict should reach some resolution. Not necessarily a happy ending.

13. Correct, correct. You will never get good result on the first try.

14. Avoid excessive use of adjectives and adverbs; trust the accuracy of your nouns and verbs. Verb form: The shorter the better. Avoid passive form, cliches and hackneyed phrases.

15. Be interested in every offer. Be concise. Hemingway's first editor at the Kansas City Star gave him the following rules: “Use short sentences. Use short paragraphs. Use emphatic English. Be positive.” Hemingway later said of this advice: best rules writing skills that I have ever known."

16. If you can be misinterpreted, you will.

17. There are no rules for writing well. The one who successfully breaks the rules is a true artist. But: first, learn the rules, practice, bring your skills to mastery. “You cannot step over what you do not know.” - Sri Nisargadatta Maharai.

How to be a writer? This main question which is of interest to many.
English-language blog for aspiring writers WriteToDone compiled a list of 201 tips that are designed to help a young author, and divided them into thematic blocks.

Block one: How to develop a successful attitude in yourself?

1. Be open, curious, involved in life and living every moment of it.
2. Accept all forms of criticism and learn to grow from it.
3. Live with passion.
4. Tell everyone: "I'm a writer."
5. Admit your fear and overcome it.
6. Rethink the concept of "normal".
7. Check if your conclusions are correct.
8. Don't accept excuses.
9. Break out of your comfort zone.
10. Approach writing with gratitude rather than as something that “must” be done.
11. Take risks - don't be afraid to shock. You are not who you think you are.
12. Always think about your readers.
13. Learn to LOVE writing and reading.
14. Text like you're on a first date.
15. Just let things be what they are.
16. Acquire as many new experiences as possible in the shortest amount of time possible.
17. Love your instruments. In the words of a famous bumper sticker: "My fountain pen writes better than your A student!".
18. Accept your shadow side. Learn what traits and characteristics you don't want to reveal.
19. Write to excite the mind and nerves.
20. Remember: if you are not sure about something, then you do not know it.
21. Know when to leave - and when to return.
22. Believe that you are a writer.
23. Destroy something regularly. Picasso said: "Every act of creation is, first of all, an act of destruction."
24. Never take a routine experience for granted.
25. Keep yourself in good physical form. Healthy body promotes creativity.
26. Be yourself. There is no need to look for inspiration in someone else.
27. Never give up.

Block two: How to develop the skill of a writer?

28. Use simple, declarative sentences.
29. Avoid the passive voice.
30. Limit the use of adjectives and adverbs.
31. Keep it simple.
32. Don't pour water.
33. Don't write too much.
34. Don't overdo it with descriptions (places, people, etc.).
35. Check each long word to see if it can be replaced by a simpler counterpart.
36. If you have a rough idea of ​​how you want to end the part you are writing now, try starting from there and see how it turns out.
37. Avoid three weak words, in addition to direct necessity: "If", "But", "Can't".
38. Never save your hero.
39. Practice single-tasking. Set a timer to write without interruption.
40. Work on powerful headlines.
41. Start with metaphors and stories.
42. Write the first sentence or headline last.
43. Write exclusively from your heart and avoid copying others.
44. Think twice before including a swear word in a text.
45. Ask yourself: “Can this be turned into a list?”. Come up with at least five things you can list about what you write.
46. ​​Use the miniskirt rule: keep your story long enough to cover everything important, but short enough to be interesting.
47. Write in small paragraphs to get to the point faster.
48. Imagine the person you are addressing in front of you: what is reflected in his eyes when he reads this? What would be the first thing he said to you in response?
49. Do what works for you.
50. Always call a shovel a shovel. And by no means - garden tool with a long shaft!
51. Try to write sloppy. If you stop worrying about mistakes (which is the responsibility of the left hemisphere of the brain), thoughts will flow more easily (the right hemisphere).

Block three: How to develop good writing habits?

52. Exercise or at least warm up in between writing.
53. Create a schedule for your project and stick to it.
54. Tag ideas for further development plot before leaving work until tomorrow.
55. Find time to write anywhere, anytime.
56. Keep a copy of Strunk and White close at hand (The Elements of Style, by William Strunk and Alvin White, is one of the most popular English-language textbooks on literary style- approx. per.).
57. Keep a work log to be able to analyze your progress.
58. Write on ugly paper to trick your brain into believing that not everything has to be perfect.
59. Write when you're tired.
60. Rewrite from memory some good story that you once read, and then compare it with the original. Appreciate the difference and learn from it.
61. Practice contraction. Write a summary of your story and then shorten that too. Then press the summary summary. It helps a lot to get to the core of the story and discover what it's really about.
62. Make writing a priority in your life. If you claim that it is so important to you, prove it by how you allocate your time.
63. Write when you don't feel inspired.
64. A little trick to get yourself started: you only need to spend 15 minutes a day writing.
65. Use a deck of cards to start writing a book. On each write an object or idea. Then arrange and describe each one in order to create the first sketch.
66. Every day force yourself to disconnect from outside world at least for a while: turn off your phone, player, music, email, twitter - any conversations with other people.
67. Set a limit for each writing session, as well as a goal for how much you have to get done in that time.
68. Do not be afraid to rummage through the dictionary in search of the very Word that will fit the sentence better than what is there at the moment.
69. Buy a small notepad and pen to carry around with you everywhere.
70. Stop clicking on links - go write! Right now.
71. Set a timer and force yourself (even if it won't be yours) best job) write a story for a strictly set period of time.
72. Read good literature.
73. Write at dawn.
74. Read Saul Stein on Writing cover to cover.
75. Regularly read the WriteToDone blog (or our group =) - approx. per.).
76. Use the voice recording feature on your phone to record unexpected ideas or the right words - but not in the shower.
77. Write in a simple text editor.
78. Engage strangers in conversation. Then write about them from memory, describing the person environment and the conversation itself.
79. Always ask yourself the question: "What if ...".
80. Have a dialogue with your characters.
81. Join writing challenges.
82. Write 15 minutes a day. Every day.
83. Drink more water to avoid weakness.
84. Play opera music in the background - or whatever suits your story.
85. Start writing early—not hours before a deadline.

Block five: How to become a writer?

101. Set word limits for yourself and write within them.
102. Outline your work. And then fill it out.
103. Discover a new word every day.
104. Write in collaboration with someone.
105. Read "Words That Work" by Frank Luntz.
106. Read more about copywriting and content marketing.
107. Mean what you write and write what you mean.
108. Write about something that someone else has already written about.
109. Stretch your fingers while writing.
110. Learn foreign language good enough to think about.
111. Write your life story.
112. Sleep at night as much as you need.
113. If thoughts are confused, take a nap for 15 minutes.
114. Draw strength from emotions.
115. Write like you have to stand up and read this article in front of a thousand people. Would they listen to her, or would they go home?
116. Write in various genres: blog posts, short stories, essay.
117. Read grammar books.
118. Allow yourself a poorly written first draft.
119. Try to eat well. If you only eat fast food and processed foods, your thinking skills also suffer, and you are not able to write as well as you could.
120. Be sure to read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron.
121. If you can't write a book, write a blog post.
122. If you can't write a post, write a comment.
123. Write without being distracted by anything.
124. Tell the truth - then you will not have to remember everything that you wrote.
125. Pay close attention to how successful writers construct sentences.
126. Write about what you want to write, not about what you know.
127. Watch a movie. Could you write this story better?
128. Write in a crowded cafe.
129. Write in the toilet.
130. Write for 24 hours.
131. Write. And then write more.
132. Read, think, read, write, meditate, write - and read again.
133. Listen to people talk.
134. Read a lot of books. Both good and bad.
135. Listen to podcasts for writers.
136. Get inspired by other art forms: music, dance, sculpture, painting.
137. Reread your old work and recognize how far you have come since then - and how far you will go.
138. Make writing your priority in the morning.
139. Keep squeezing words out of yourself, even if you don't feel inspired.
140. Read the works of people belonging to different cultures. This will help your work avoid a smack of stagnation.
141. Write at the time of day when you are most productive.
142. Set aside time for the necessary searches and research.
143. Take part in Nanoraimo.
144. Go to the supermarket, football, school, construction site. Write down all the details and feelings, fix the atmosphere, people.
145. Parse and analyze books and articles that you enjoy.
146. Read "Read Like a Writer" by Francine Prowse.
147. Find your own unique voice.
148. Write different articles on the same topic, first for, then against it. This will help train your thinking.
149. Write about what you would desperately like to read about yourself.
150. Read as much as humanly possible.
151. Be in the flow of time: how do your headlines resonate with your audience?

Block six: How to edit what you have written?

152. Reread what you have written again and again until your eye has nothing to catch on.
153. Never blindly trust automatic spell checking in a text editor.
154. Show what you have written to a trusted friend and ask for feedback.
155. Edit and edit again.
156. But don't get stuck editing to death.
157. There is a time for writing - and there is a time for editing. Do not combine one with the other, otherwise you will be too critical of what you write.
158. When in doubt, cut out.
159. Take a break between the end of writing and the beginning of editing.
160. Read your work out loud to anyone who can stand it - including your cat.
161. Cut 10% off total words.
162. Doubt again? Cut it out too.
163. Kill all overloaded sentences.
164. Let your work lie down and then return to it to look at it with fresh eyes.
165. Ask someone else to do proofreading and proofreading.
166. Don't be afraid to cut out a sentence that seems brilliant to you but doesn't really make much sense.
167. Read more aloud - it's easier to catch mistakes.
168. Love the words you write while you write them - and be suspicious of them when you edit.
169. Take on the role of a reviewer and write a review of your own book, article or story.

Block seven: How to become more creative?

Creativity is the most important thing when it comes to writing. The following tips will help you boost your creative energy.

170. Capture all your brilliant ideas: they are easily forgotten.
171. Keep a journal to keep your writing energy cool.
172. Use this diary to sort out your thoughts and feelings.
173. Watch people.
174. Write, trying to keep within 101 words.
175. Start writing down your "stream of consciousness" and see where it takes you.
176. Let your mind wander.
177. If there are no other ways to spur inspiration, try to find it at the bottom of a glass ...
178. Meditate regularly to put your mind in order.
179. Mow the lawn, go for a walk or a run, anything that keeps your mind focused while your subconscious mind is in the creative clouds.
180. Copy this list to your wall so you can refer back to it when you need inspiration.
181. Write down all random quotes, story ideas, thoughts on your phone when you are on the road.
182. Group data by various signs look for comparisons.
183. Study nature.
184. Write while writing. If something spurred you on, don't stop.
185. Write with a pencil instead of a laptop for more inspiration.
186. Check news and social media feeds to find inspiration in the current.
187. Get to know someone who is not at all like you and use their experience.
188. Try new things, take up new hobbies: the more variety in your life, the more likely you will be able to continue to generate new ideas for your creativity.
189. Set aside time for reflection.
190. Write where the action is in your scene. If you want to write about the beach, take a basket of food and go to the sea.
191. Use mind maps.
192. Collect words.
193. Write everything down. Don't trust your memory, especially with new ideas, especially at night.
194. Trying to convey some emotion, but not sure how best to do it? Listen to music that reflects that feeling as you write.
195. The cure for writer's block - read an article by your favorite author or other favorite publication.
196. Try writing with the other hand. The inconvenience and complexity of the process will allow more thoughts to come to your mind.
197. When you feel like you've reached a dead end, get distracted by something that doesn't require much thought from you, whether it's ironing or walking.
198. Write outdoors.
199. Write when inspiration strikes.
200. Don't wait for ideas. Find them yourself.
201. Read the comments on your blog and appreciate those who take the time to leave them for you.

Be a writer!

Based on materials from the VKontakte group