Writing Advice Boiled Down Into One-Sentence Harsh Truths

Writing advice is too complicated.

You need a degree to decode common writing concepts properly — like “prose” and “SEO.” Screw that.

I have racked up more than 100M views on my writing over the last six years. I didn’t study beautiful English essays or date Hemingway’s mother.

If I was giving writing advice to my twenty-something writer self — that was young, dumb, and full of rum — here’s what I’d tell myself.

• Quit trying to be remarkable. Don’t try to be radically different or invent a brand new style. All writers are saying basically the same thing with 1% unique information. Your story and experience is the differentiator.

• Complaining about people copying or imitating your work is B.S. If you write on the internet then this is going to happen. See it as a compliment, not an insult.

• Stop romanticizing over releasing your story into the world. Maybe the headline isn’t perfect. Maybe there is a spelling error you missed. Whatever story you think is brilliant will probably flop. If you could predict viral content then you’d be Tim Ferriss’ writing assistant already.

• Hit publish and move on, quickly.

• Most stories will go nowhere. That’s why the process of writing trumps any one story you write and think is remarkable and life-changing. It’s not.

• The audience is batshit crazy. Love em for it. They will like weird stuff and highlight sentences you nearly deleted in your original draft.

• The level of vulnerability you use determines how many readers you help.

• Being useful is a massively underestimated way to write.

• Take a break from writing or you could end up single. Your partner needs you to be there for them.

• Publications have the right to reject your work. Let them.

• Change up your style often. Writing the same listicle garbage over and over, full of stoic quotes you don’t understand, won’t get you anywhere. Switch between fiction, non-fiction, essays, short pieces, long pieces, and as many different styles as you can.

• Formatting is the hidden key for inspiration. The way you format helps you write. If your stories all sound the same then format like an out-of-control Kardashian fan who spotted Kim with Kanye.

• Your writing from one year ago will be embarrassing.

• Your writing from five years ago will make you vomit (as it should).

• TL;DR. Strip away the excess. Readers haven’t got time to read your complicated metaphors and see you bask in your own ego.

• Writing is a workout.

• Disconnect from the result. Write because you want to write — not because a fantasy influencer told you too.

• Fame is a terrible nightmare — just ask Tim Ferriss or James Altucher. Do you really want to be a famous writer who can no longer go to the supermarket without losing an eye to a selfie pole?

• Without flow, you’re a tortoise. Consistent writing requires flow to stay on the right path and finish your story.

• A writing process separates amateur writers from pros. Copy another writer’s process and then make it your own until it morphs into something unique.
• Break grammar rules whenever you feel like it.

• Let mistakes creep into your work. Mistakes show your beautiful human side that makes you relatable.

• Write stories that make readers say, “I felt like that before, too.”

• Hit publish. Do it again. Repeat for five years and change your #life.

• Your writing future is not guaranteed. You could die tomorrow, so why not write today?

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Disclaimer

The original version of this story was published on another platform.

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