Here are some general exhortations. I give them out at the beginning of my
freshman writing classes and we work on them all semester. (Remember
that exhortations are just exhortations. They are not explanatory and may
not be convincing. No one learns simply by listening to other people's
exhortations.)
- Ask questions. Be nosey.
- Don't leave things out just because you don't understand them.
- Don't worry about making people mad.
- Always have an opinion.
- Don't worry about being wrong.
- Don't try to please, entertain, dance, feign sickness, or otherwise
cop-out.
- Don't wait for inspiration.
- Don't save the best for last.
- Share your stuff with whoever will read it.
- Read your stuff out loud to whoever will listen to it.
- Think out loud.
- Don't make excuses. Don't snivel.
- Don't promise what you're not prepared to deliver.
- Don't apologize for being a sad story or a less-evolved creature.
- Don't laugh at other people.
- Don't assume too much.
- Watch yourself learn.
- Don't write just for yourself.
- Don't assume anybody thinks or reads like you do.
- Don't ignore or otherwise neglect to account for other people's points
of view.
- Don't be solemn.
- Don't eat elephant dung.
- Be skeptical of famous writers who give you advice about writing.
- Be skeptical of famous writing teachers who tell you writing is easy or
writing should be fun, or writing is hard work or writing is learning or
writing is process or writing is a way of life or writing is rewriting. (It may be
all of those things or none of them.)
- Don't carp in your mittens.
Got questions? Observations?
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