1 - Introduction: Making You More Persuasive
1.9 - Assignment 01 Discussion Prompt- Best / Worst Writing Advice
What is the best piece of writing advice you have ever received? What is the worst?
The "Words to Write By" section in Chapter 10 of Good with Words: Writing and Editing has a collection of writing advice my students have found helpful over the years, in case that is at all useful to see.
I feel the best advice on writing that I’ve ever received has come from Natalie Goldberg. Her book, WRITING DOWN THE BONES has a lot of heartfelt advice about how one can more effectively cultivate their craft and practice of writing. In her introduction, Goldberg reveals how one must: ““Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go.” And don’t worry too much about security. You will eventually have a deep security when you begin to do what you want.”
Goldberg further explains how: “This book is about writing. It is also about using writing as your practice, as a way to help you penetrate your life and become sane. What is said here about writing can be applied to running, painting, anything you love and have chosen to work with in your life.” It’s about developing a deep connection with the written word by cultivating a deep connection with oneself, non-judgmentally, in the present moment.
Goldberg also has several rules for writing that she lays out in WRITING DOWN THE BONES, as well as in its follow-up, WILD MIND. Frank Tarczynski, in his September 12, 2020 article for Medium, NATALIE GOLDBERG’S 7 RULES OF WRITING & HOW YOU CAN USE THEM TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING PRACTICE summarizes them as follows:
RULE #1: Keep your hand moving: “If you keep your creator hand moving, the editor can’t catch up with it and lock it.”
RULE #2: Lose control: “Say what you want to say. Don’t worry if it’s correct, polite, appropriate. Just let it rip.”
RULE #3: Be specific: say Nissan Pathfinder instead of SUV, a bowl of freshly sliced gala apples, bananas, and bartlet pears instead of a bowl of fruit.
RULE #4: Don’t think: “We usually live in the realm of second or third thoughts, thoughts on thoughts, rather than in the realm of first thoughts, the real way we flash on something.”
RULE #5: Don’t worry about punctuation, spelling, and grammar: “It’s better to figure out what you want to say in the actual act of writing.”
RULE #6: You are free to write the worst junk in America
RULE #7: Go for the jugular: “If something scary comes up, go for it. That’s where the energy is. Otherwise, you’ll spend all your time writing around whatever makes you nervous.
In terms of bad writing advice I have received - I admit that I am having trouble thinking of any. Is there even any such thing as bad writing advice? I don’t think so. It’s safe to say I’ve had some bad teachers, although even with the worst teachers I’ve found I’ve been able to learn something from them. For example, in high school I had one French teacher who could barely speak any English. As such, he wasn’t able to really communicate well with the class and the period became a time where students slacked off. They teased and didn’t pay attention to the teacher. He was a really nice man and I did feel horrible about how we treated him. I think it was the first time I really felt an authentic sense of empathy, which is a cornerstone for building connection and trust.