Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) was a American science fiction writer famous for such stories as “Stranger in a Strange Land”, “Starship Troopers” and “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress”. He had five rules for writing success:
Rule 1: You Must Write
Rule 2: Finish What Your Start
Rule 3: You Must Refrain From Rewriting, Except to Editorial Order
Rule 4: You Must Put Your Story on the Market
Rule 5: You Must Keep it on the Market until it has Sold
What may strike people as odd is that he doesn’t discuss things like plot, character development or grammar. Heinlein advice is really about staying focussed. Another sci-fi writer, Robert J. Sawyer, looks at these rules in more detail here: http://www.sfwriter.com/ow05.htm
(Source for the quotes: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/421667-heinlein-s-rules-for-writers-rule-one-you-must-write-rule)
2013/11/01 at 11:51
Simple rules, but they are often what it comes down to. My biggest weakness used to be constantly revising what I’d just written. I’ve managed to let that go. Now I purge and get it out. THEN I go back and tinker with it.
2013/11/01 at 18:38
That strategy is much better. I have to be careful because I have a lot of ideas, so it easy for me to spread myself thin.
2013/11/11 at 14:45
Ya? what is the story? Hmmmm….
2013/11/11 at 21:34
Hmmm…
2013/11/23 at 20:08
Ehem…. when will start rule #1?
2013/11/24 at 18:30
Sometimes that is the toughest. But, it is true that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.
2013/11/24 at 18:31
I mean, I am hoping you will be posting soon. 😛
2013/11/25 at 19:06
Oops… I missed that you meant me. I have big project at work that is finishing this week. I have a couple of things I really want to write, so I might get something here before that.
2013/11/25 at 20:37
Okey dokey.
2013/12/04 at 05:40
I have a major issue with rule No. 2…….
2013/12/04 at 22:04
I think I know what you mean. This one time…
2013/12/21 at 03:40
He MUST be very successful. 🙂
2013/12/21 at 13:08
He was. I’ll post a quote about him soon.