If given the choice, I’d rather not write. It’s hard, day after day, to come up with something out of nothing. Better to edit — that way, there’s a starting point. You can take something that’s already on paper and make it better or even completely change it. There’s a catch, though: To edit, you have to write something first.
Tips for Writers
You’re right, it is presumptuous for me to offer writing advice. But over my career I’ve received great advice from fellow writers of all skill levels. Here are my attempts to pass on what I’ve learned.
Writing a Book = Baking a Cake
It’s harder than you think. Ann Patchett nails the essential skill novelists, cooks and people in general need to master: focusing on one thing at a time.
Why You Should Write Less
Most people write too much. Remember that three page essay in junior high? We clawed and scratched and cajoled that word count higher. But guess what? The essay still sucked. We took 1,000 words to express a thought that could have fit in a paragraph. And when we turned it in, we hoped the teacher wouldn’t notice we had only read the first 20 pages.