Who's advice to listen to / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-Aug-2016

I'm noting that I have close to 700 blog posts . . . yes, you heard correct.  700!

So, needless to say, if I duplicate something that I've talked about before, I apologize.  Hence today's subject of who to listen to.  Not sure if I covered this before.

There are two general camps of writers offering tips to newbies--one can divide these down into sub-categories, but for now I'm going to leave it at two.

The two camps are: veteran writers and new writing stars.

I'm noticing a fair amount of veteran writers--who have been in the business for decades, through the various ebbs and flows of the industry--who's advice is simple: write, keep writing, rewrite only to editorial demand, put your writing out into the market, and keep it out until sold.  Now, I completely stole this advice from Robert Heinlein, famed science fiction writer.  Here's a link to what is called Heinlein's Rules on Dean Wesley Smith's site.  In fact, Dean is one of these veteran writers I'm talking about.  David Farland is another one.  Here is Farland's lectures on Heinlein's rules.

And there are more than these two.  But if anything, to start with, follow Dean and David's advice, to gain their perspective of the publishing industry.  Even if you disagree with them, it's okay to gain their knowledge.

Then, in the second camp, there are the new writing stars.  This camp is comprised of writers who write some books, have some success--in some cases massive success that land them in the top spots on Amazon--and then write nonfiction books or put together online courses about the process.  They don't necessarily quit writing the fiction books that gave them success, but they seem to have slowed down and are focusing more on the nonfiction side of their business.

Comparing both camps can cause your head to spin with disbelief and confusion.  The new stars are focused highly on the marketing, not necessarily writing the next book.  This seems short-sighted for me, and one that I find myself at odds against.  As you'll note, I have not provided links to any of these.

So, what is a newbie writer to do?

Depends on what clicks with you.  It also depends on what you want to do.  I want to publish.  I want to write.  Therefore, I find myself taking the advice of the veterans more than the others.  Not that I ignore the new writing stars.  I pick and choose what I want to listen to.

Then, I put my head down . . . and write.

Heinlein's rules, people.  Simple rules to follow.