: How much heed should we pay to writing advice In replying to this question I thought this would make a good question... This entire site is devoted to giving people advice on their writing,

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Treat advice as a smorgasbord. Pick what works and leave the rest.

Make sure you test the advice you get. That way you will know if it works or not. It may sound great in your head, but it's what happens on the paper that counts...

I look at my writing as a dual task: 1) Write books and 2) create my personal process/method for how to write books.

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Part of the value is just talking to other writers, and hearing what they do. I don't plot, I rewrite a lot, until I feel it is right. Knowing that you are not alone or that other writers also don't accept common wisdom, and still get by, is valuable.

Hearing what value other writers put on various ideas also helps.

Sometimes it is craft tips, sometimes it is help with a plot hole. On this site, and unlike any book on writing from some famous author, people can get help on their specific problem as they wish to explain it. You can't call Stephen King up and ask him to help with your book. Here, you can ask for help with your book, and judge whether the answers are help on their merits. Yes or no, either way it was free.

From my point of view as an answerer (I enjoy even this kind of writing), if it helps somebody take a step forward as an author or on a potential career, it was worth my time.

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By what speaks to them. The best writing advice is not vague or inspiring. That's for the sides of coffee cups. The best advice is specific to you and zeroes in on exactly what's holding you back. If one person tells you to write in the mornings when you're fresh, another tells you to write what you know, and the third tells you your story slows down in the middle and your characters all sound the same, which one is more useful?

Obviously it depends on the one seeking help and what that helps needs to be. The best advice is often uncomfortable to hear, challenging to accept, and nails your weak spots the same way a masseuse goes straight for the sore spot.

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I have two degrees in Creative Writing (that and .50 will get you a latte at Starbucks). For many years, I was in a writing group with several excellent writers, and we had different approaches to "advice" in the sense of working with different teachers. One of my fellow writers fought tooth and nail against every teacher, insisting on doing things her own way, no matter what they advised. I took a different route -- in each course, I essentially surrendered myself to that particular teacher, doing it their way, and then when the course was over, seeing what I got out of it that was useful to me.

My best advice is to read advice and then forget it -- just go write. Don't worry about advice or feedback or criticism until you've written what you want to write -- in some cases, your work will be too fragile to expose to the criticism of others. When you've written something that you're satisfied with, share it with someone you trust, a teacher, a fellow writer, a friend. D. Elliot Lamb makes an excellent point about workshop feedback -- it may be serving the responder much more than it is serving you.

Good luck. Stay focused on writing what pleases you and you will be likely to succeed.

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You can learn a lot from an expert. You can learn a lot by doing. More likely, however, you can have your time wasted.

I've found that when my writing actually improves it's when I get in front of readers and they react. If an expert tells you to use technique A or always have Writing Ethic B in mind, it might guide your writing to the better. Or it might not. How do you get a sense of reality and test the assertions of the experts?

Robert McKee recommends reducing any story, early in its development, into the oral tradition and telling it to a person as if you were around a campfire. If a simple version of your story doesn't work in that setting, it's a huge red flag that the story structure isn't there (I have actually followed this advice and realized my story was garbage). Writing goes up and away from there, but all the writing books in the world are just kindling if no one can muster mere attention for your story.

Workshopping is another way to get audience feedback, but in my experience they are skewed by a set of expectations that do not represent an "everyman" audience. Workshop participants sometimes give you feedback that makes the speaker sound smart, instead of insight into the story's problems (I include myself as guilty of this time wasting posturing). What, specifically, do you do with "your characters could use more dimension?"

Whenever I hear workshop feedback, I always ask the speaker "despite that, would you keep reading? Do you want to know what happens?" I find that question focuses the discussion back onto what I can fix in re-writing.

I combine both campfire tellings and workshops to vet my stories. Audiences are the true "expert."

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Question: How do they know what to listen to and what to ignore?

You should try to find great writers; although, they would technically have to be exceptional teachers too. There are people that can teach you the methods to become a great writer. I would have them teach you.

In general, if you want to become a more intelligent writer:

It takes significant time and commitment. Make sure to read a lot everyday.
Focus on the writing process. Have others give you constructive criticism.
Respond to criticism in an open way and focus on improving your writing abilities. Revise, rewrite, and edit your work constantly.
Keep your eyes open for excellent writers. They are the ones to learn from.

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I like technical advice, which is odd considering I enjoy poetry and poetry is something which often as not transcends technical points of style concerning correct grammar.

It's akin to a bit of wisdom musicians seem to naturally favor in that they practice scales, chords; practice rhythms and playing specific notes.

Advice is fine. Advice, however, is passive. What's the old adage ...? Oh yes: Writers write.

Hope that helps.

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The only way you can really know what will work for you is by a process of trial and error.

Maybe the best approach is to start off by listening to all advice, but be willing to abandon or change whatever doesn't feel like it is working for you.

It does take a huge amount of courage and confidence to say 'I've read all of this advice on this aspect, and it is wrong' but sometimes when it comes to how you should personally approach writing, the only good advice is what works for you.

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