Kurt Vonnegut's 8 basics of creative writing

I have many many many blogs about how to be a beeter writer, how should a writer do that.  The best advice I have ever read on writing fiction are:


Kurt Vonnegut's 8 basics of creative writing

1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.

The greatest American short story writer of my generation was Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964). She broke practically every one of my rules but the first. Great writers tend to do that

My Facebook Status Update for Jan 1, 2011

Well 2011 is here.  I didn't post anything yesterday because I didn't want to insult 2010 too badly.  Though it was a decent year on the bike, changing jobs was months of misery.  I went from one job that stressed me to exhaustion to another where I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning.  I was, however, able to work through my current situation to get to a point where I am content in my work.


I can't be too cynicle though because I have had truly ugly years.  The kind where I was amazed that my family and  I all still had heartbeats on Jan 1.


  I had a few highlights however and they overshadow anything bad that might have been.   The first was reuniting with old friends.  Two, specificly, one whom I haven't seen for nearly 15 years and reuniting with him drove me to tears.  Though he is a very motivating person and has had the biggest influence on me last year.  The other has an aura of spirituality that is inspiring.  I can always look to her facebook updates if I need a spiritual lift in my day.


I also began writing again, in more ways than one.  I have been working on a novel and have finished a few short stories.  There are a ton more locked in my head and  I just need to get them out and share them with the world.  More importantly I started writing icons again, and was the first person in history to stream the writing live.


My most important highlight, that which is my life force, is of course my family.  Nuff said.


Let us stay on the offensive in 2011.  Let's keep pushing ahead to the future and remember those men and women overseas who are keeping us safe.