5 Popular Writing Tips That DO NOT Work 

4 things that helped me the most: 1) Learning to read like a writer 2) Learning how to edit what I wrote 3) Learning how to give feedback/critique. I learned a lot about what not to do and what works while helping others with their manuscripts. Moreso that having people read my stuff. 4) learning to write a scenes rather than writing stories

Tip 6--wasting time watching RU-vid videos when you should be writing.

Louis L'Amour completed 105 original works by putting words on paper in the morning and rewriting the previous day's new material in the afternoon. This approach does work, at least for some. Ultimately, you have nothing to rewrite when you get nothing down on paper.

This guy is obviously just trying to sell you a course. Outlining, writing, revision, reading books and free advice resources WILL and DO work for most people. Chances are, they'll work for you too.

The bottom line is that writing is personal. Everyone is so different. What no one tells you is this - find your own motivation. Find your own voice. Find what works for you! Plot is out.. ok.. discovery write ok…. They need to take lots of time to figure things out. Trial and error - is key. Get on RU-vid and find someone like you does help. Find someone that writes like you finally do. Listen to them. But don’t take it like scripture. Try it. Does it work for you? Some might or might not. Like storygrid - I listen to the advice and pick pieces that work for me. I discard those that do not.

I've compiled a list of 1004 tips on writing from RU-vid. Now the list has 999 tips.

I have found there are no silver bullets imparting knowledge for me to use. I am not one of the mythical genius’ able to grasp concepts at a glance and produce outstanding results with one or two tries. All methods I have learned do not work at first, but ALL of them impart a bit more knowledge I can incorporate. I have watched and learned a lot from Tim. I find this his most amusing lesson. His first thing listed is the “Read a lot, Write a lot” advised from Stephen King. His first advice for success is practice writing and his second is practice focused writing. “Whaaat?” Grandma asked. What are you actually practicing? Writing a lot. How do you know where and what to focus on? Reading a lot, primarily what you have written. The old man waved his rake angrily. “Get off my lawn!”

Up to my 17th book now, with several hundred thousand copies sold, but mostly picture books.' Now writing a novel. I have tried all 5 of the things you mention, nothing worked, just as you say. I even went to the Robert McKee 2 day 'Story' seminar, and read his book, plus most of the other books you mentioned. Still nothing worked. But right here, suddenly, this is the first time I've seen the idea put so clearly of separating practice and performance. Going to hammer down and follow this advice - it's opened the door.

Disagree on the reading part. Deliberate reading is very helpful. I'm in the process of re-reading the inciting incidents of all thrillers on my bookshelf to improve my own writing and it's very useful. Same shortening the cycle idea, no need to re-read the whole novels. I did a similar exercise for midpoints also. Pleasure reading is also helpful. I don't think I could write passionately in a genre that I don't read myself.

Funnily enough I do play guitar and did play a gig before I had any skills. I started to write songs from day one and over time did acquire skills simply by doing. I can totally relate to the read a lot write a lot theory, I just think that Stephen King over simplified in the pursuit of a neat little phrase. 'Writing is rewriting' is a more helpful quote.

I will say this - I’ve written stories since I was 18. I’m 53 now. Years of short stories never finished but lots of learned grammar and voice. And lots of books read.

I did all of that and much of it served as useful building blocks. Studying wasn't a waste of my time. If you were in my critique group you would not have had a bad experience because we justify our observations by craft standards and accepted (selling) industry practices.

There's no perfect formula. Today's breakthrough genius moment is tomorrow's copycatted formula that turns into a cliche in five years. It's a moving target. I've done all five of these things from the first part of the video, but I've learned things of value and been able to improve my writing from each of them -- while none have been "the silver bullet". So perhaps it depends on what your expectations are from these things. They are tools and techniques. They CAN help. Don't expect them to do the work for you.

Pausing to comment: I've recently done a lot of these things. Mostly I felt overwhelmed by it all. Everything seems to be do this, but also take this advice with a grain of salt. The one thing that clicked in my brain was a short story writing guest lecture from Mary Robinette Kowal. Suddenly, I understood that I try to shove too much stuff into my stories as I'm writing and get lost in all the threads. As soon as I cut everything "extra" out, I was able to write a very concise list of events that needed to happen to get my MC through both their emotional and physical story. Everything I add from here will be those "spinning plates" that will add extra tension and conflict to make the world feel more alive. This is literally the first time I've ever felt confident that I can tell a long-format story.

I think what really boosted my ability to write was editing other people's work, first in writers groups, and later as a freelance editor. It is often far easier to tell where an amateur piece of writing falls down than to be able to see your own work as critically. But, after doing that for a while, I began to see where my work had the same problems that I was so carefully editing out of other peoples' manuscripts. Then it was reading critically - how did these writers deal with a problem in their stories that I was trying to work out in mine?

I’m now in my second revision of a 450 fantasy. I’m gonna finish it! I have to! I deal with motivation and grammar and voice and chapters and scenes and all that weekly with my editor.

This is amazing advice. I wrote a million words in 3 years and I never got better.

I would disagree on one thing - reading does work. Find your favorite book - one you think you might best replicate (voice) and those that you just really enjoy. It helped a lot. I look to James Cameron’s Jester. I love that book. But would like some changes. But I love the pace. The voice. The scenes - chapters for him. I take that and use it!

Just writing words down doesn't build the structure of the story. You need a plan.

1. I've heard this ALL the time... doesn't quite work for me. I know everyone's different. BUT I still get this advice from non-writers I know. 2. Kinda worked for me early on. I've skimmed through a bunch of writing reference books, and I follow a number of RU-vid channels, and eventually started learning to think like a writer and looking for inspiration literally everywhere. 3. Honestly never tried it. 4. Not professional, but I did join a local critique group with other amateurs around my age. 5. I'm somewhere between a planner and a pantser. Also, at this point I just have scattered scenes, not quite a linear plot yet. Like I said, I do follow YT channels, but I still just do my own thing.

It wasn't pleasant, but I actually think my writing improved after going through a baptism of fire with one certain writer's group. That resulted in, I think, a vastly-improved structure and a beginning.

Thank you so much for making this video. You just expressed all my frustration. This video was extremely helpful.

I've tried all of these looking for that magic key that will unlock the secret to writing a novel.

This is awesome advice! 😲 Thank you! 😊

Honestly, I did not learn to write until I found Story Grid.

Spot on with the five things that don't work. As a late term writer [starting in late 70's and now in my 80's] I can confirm everything Tim says in the first part of the video.

I am a convinced fatalist. From my point of view, if a person is destined to write a book, then he will write it. This requires a strong impulse that forces you to act. A real writer writes because he cannot do otherwise. First of all, you can’t lie to yourself. You need to be aware of your priorities. If you do everything but write, it means that it is not relevant to you.

Few people have an idea that truly stands out from the crowd. There is a small market for this kind of work. But, if you don't truly understand life beyond which most people do, then you won't write a book beyond which most people do, imho. It's not the writing, it's the understanding that matters.

I'm doing all 5 right now

This is kind of meta

Very true,

Have tried all of the above (all 5).

I learned writing great scenes from Michael Levin best selling ghost writer from New York. That’s how I practice before writing 🇬🇧🇺🇸

There’s another professional who believes it’s important to read as much as possible. I somehow knew it was complete bullsh*t. And this person hasn’t even written a novel. It takes years and you can’t learn it in school, it comes from within. Concepts are nice and if they can’t be directly applied (without all the theoretical gobbledygook) then it’s a complete waste of time. There is a lot of good advice to consider and much of it gets in the way (wasted talk). The rest (99%) is the hard work of grinding it out in the editing process … till it becomes a work of art. The only person to impress is yourself … to the point where you know, you did your absolute best (difficult when you’re a perfectionist). It’s your inspiration and if they don’t like it then that’s too bad!