An axiom is basically a statement that is accepted to be true within a society. As people discover what works best in writing, they make up little sayings to help remember them. There are many axioms and some are more accurate than others. I collected the ten most common ones I could find that I agree with. I may add in some more at a later date or focus on one of them if I feel it is more important.
The First Rule of Writing is Writing
If you write anything consistently, you can call yourself a writer. What you do with it afterward, depends on you. Getting the words down can sometimes be the hardest part and almost every advice column includes this axiom in some form. Creating a habit out of writing is essential. It doesn’t matter what it is about, just write.
Write it First, Fix it Later
To encourage perfectionists to not get overwhelmed when writing, it is encouraged to do your redlining later. It is more important to get the base story down first. Finishing a story is key. Once you have that, you can red-line, critique, and streamline the words to a professional level. But you have to write it first.
In Late, Out Early
Action is key to keeping readers interested. If you start out with a monologue, your readers will never buy the book. If you end slowly and explain everything about everyone’s happy ending, your readers will not buy another book. Why would they? The story is finished. Most authors will end up writing those scenes for themselves so they know what is going on and then simply cut them from the published piece. You don’t need to explain everything. A fast pace is more important.
Show, Don’t Tell
To help with keeping things at a quick pace, don’t explain every situation. Lead with action and show your readers what someone is thinking. Show them yelling and throwing a fit instead of ranting within their mind. Show a character interacting with the world instead of describing the scene. You may have to be a bit creative, but you can still get a lot of information you want to get across through action.
Write What You Know
You don’t have to write only about things you already have knowledge about. You can study and learn new things. It is just easier to write about things you have experienced yourself. Reading about horseback riding is very different from actually riding. You feel all of it from your muscles, your nose, your skin, and the sights. People often won’t be able to relay all of that information to you secondhand. Your writing will flourish when you know what you are talking about.
Write a Book You Want to Read
It can also be said to “write your passion”. Writing is work but it helps when you can get excited about what’s going on. It can be a passion you already know a lot about, or you can go to the effort to study it all out yourself. You don’t have to be passionate about everything in your book, but you need to love something in it. If you don’t enjoy reading your own words, no one else will either.
Writing is all About Promises
A book makes a lot of promises to the reader. The cover art implies the subject. The name suggests the subject. The synopsis implies the plot. The first sentence implies the mood. And all of these things are what will determine whether or not a new reader will continue reading, or move another book. But you cannot just hook the reader with the beginning. You have to follow through.
If you imply the book is going to be a romance and a hardcore romance reader buys your book, but the book is really a comedy, then you will have a very frustrated reader. Romance readers, in particular, are picky about what goes on in their plot. They came with expectations and when you don’t give them that, even if it is a good book, most won’t like your work. So be aware of what you are promising.
Use Simple Words
Writers are intellectuals. Usually, we are readers of many books. Our vocabulary extends over the years and we enjoy using them. It can be nice to show off but don’t go overboard. If you have to look up a word, it is pretty much guaranteed that your reader will too. And it becomes a hassle to read a work in which you can’t understand half the words used. You aren’t writing a textbook. Use simple words. That is the words that you use in normal situations. They can still be hard words, just not obscure ones. The only times you should use complex words is when there isn’t any other word to describe your situation perfectly. But it has to be perfect if you want to use it. Otherwise, just say it plainly.
Beware of Cliches
Your first ideas for a storyline are likely to be made up of cliches. There are common themes in every genre. Enemies who turn out to be fathers, conflicted love triangles, and the idea of a chosen one are overdone. You can use them if you really want, but they become boring and make you lazy. Writing takes a great amount of intellectual ability and you need to flex it often. don’t settle for an okay idea. Keep thinking until you have a great one that is yours and yours alone. Individuality has value.
Rules are Made to be Broken
There are many more axioms than these, but at the end of every advice column is the note that rules are made to be broken. These are good tips and really do help you to understand the writing world. But don’t just take my word for it. Do your research to understanding why each rule was made. Once you understand the purpose behind each one, you may find that your story actually would benefit without following that rule. There are successful rules breakers. But you have to know them to know when you can.
Photo by Charles