There’s a lot of advice out there for writers. A Google search for “tips for writers” returns almost 23 million results!  I like a lot of Kurt Vonnegut’s advice.  He advises simply finding something you care about and starting from there:

“Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, and not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.”

Years ago, I found a list of 7 writing tips from Vonnegut that I still have pinned up on my office wall.  It comes from Palm Sunday where he wrote:

1.    Find a subject you care about,

2.    Do not ramble, though

3.    Keep it simple

4.    Have guts to cut

5.    Sound like yourself

6.    Say what you mean

7.    Pity the readers

All this time later, it’s still sound advice.  If you find a subject you really care about and say enough without saying too much, chances are excellent you’ll have a great piece on your hands.  And when you have that piece, I’d love to read it.

Happy writing,

Claire Colvin
Sr. Ed., TruthMedia

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