the best writers blog on how to write better

The Best Writers Blog on How to Write Better

Some of the best writers out there blog on how to write better. Maybe not often, but certainly they all tend to have their own bits of advice scattered throughout the internet.

I’ve taken the liberty of making another one of my epic lists in order to guide you to the bests blogs on how to write better, all of them written by the best writers:

Ursela K. Le Guin

…wants you to get rid of writing rules. (And so do I.)

George R. R. Martin

…wants you to read a lot, write a lot, and start with short stories.

Neil Gaiman

…says you should finish the work, submit it, meet editors, and read McCloud.

John Grisham

…wants you to know the 10 Commandments of thriller writers.

Stephen Pressfield

…wants you to detatch yourself from everybody in order to properly kill off characters.

J.K. Rowling

…wants you to write for grown ups by realizing that no one has to read your book or know your characters exist.

Noam Chomsky

…wants you to think of language as having “phrase structures” and to realize that all sentences break down into a handful of simpler sentences.

Nicholas Sparks

…wants you to know that writing is painful.

Jeff Goins

…wants you to build an audience of 100,000 in 18 months.

Hugh Howey

…wants you to work harder than anyone else.

Joanna Penn

…wants you to relish in the importance of character while plotting your novel.

Maria Popova

…wants you to know that totalitarian regimes use loneliness and isolation as a means for oppressing people.

Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal

…want you to get rid of excuses.

Stephen King

…wants you to just read On Writing.

Jody Hedlund

…has 6 things she tells herself the moment she finishes writing a book.

J.A. Konrath

…ran an experiment to see if pushing preorders works well.

Amy Leigh Simpson

…wants to help you push through the weariness of winter in your wordcount.

Tara Lazaar

…wants you to help teach others to learn to write by teaching them to learn to read.

Dave King

…wants you to dive into writer’s block.

Chuck Wendig

…wants you to create art and make cool stuff in times of trouble. 

Jane Friedman

…hopes you understand these 5 marketing models for self-publishing success.

Jerry Jenkins

…thinks your backstory is better than flashback.

Jeff Goins

…wants your crappy first draft to be usable.

Patrick Rothfuss

…wants you to live on the cheap.

Have a favorite blog post from the best writers on how to write better?

Drop it into the comments and I’ll add it to the list!

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cover image via Beau Maes

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Quick note from Lance about this post: when you choose to comment (or share this post with your friends) you help other readers just like you.

How?

Well, see, your comments & sharing whisper a few things to those who come after you:

The first is that this site is a safe place to speak up & stay curious. That it's civil. That discussion is encouraged. That there's no such thing as a stupid question (being a student of Socrates, I really and truly believe this). That talking to one another and growing together is more important than anything we could possibly publish. That the point is growing in virtue and growing together and growing wise. That discovery is invention, deference is originality, that we all can rise together. The only folks I'm going to take comments down from are obvious jerks who argue in bad faith, don't stay curious, or actively make personal attacks. And, frankly, I'd rather we talk here than on some social media farm — I will never show ads and the only thing I'm selling anywhere on the site or my mailing list is just the stuff I make.

You're also helping folks realize that anything you & they build together is far more important than anything you come to me to read. I take the things I write about seriously, but I don't take myself seriously: I play the fool, I hate cults of personality, and I also don't really like being the center of attention (believe it or not). I would much rather folks connect because of an introduction I've made or because they commented with one another back and forth and then build something beautiful together. My favorite contributions have been lifelong business and love partnerships from two people who have forgotten I introduced them. Some of my closest friends NOW I literally met on another blog's comment section fifteen years ago. I would love for that to happen here — let two of you meet and let me fade into the background.

Last, you help me revise. I'm wrong. Often. I'm not embarrassed to admit it or worried about being cancelled or publicly shamed. I make a fool out of myself (that's sort of the point). So as I get feedback, I can say, "I was wrong about that" and set a model for curious, consistent learning, and growing in wisdom. I'm blind to what I don't know and as grows the island of my knowledge so grows the shoreline of my ignorance. It's the recovery of innocence on the far end of experience: a child is in a permanent state of wonder. So are the wise: they aren't afraid of saying, "I don't know. That's new: please teach me." That's my goal, comments help. And I read all reviews: my skin's tough, but that's not license to be needlessly cruel. We teach one another our habits and there's a way to civilly demolish an idea without demolishing another person: just because I personally can take the world's meanest 1-star review doesn't mean we should teach one another how to be crueler on the internet.

For three magical reasons — your brave curiosity, your community, & my ignorance:

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