Deb Tawna says you shouldn’t listen to her writing advice

When I started my blog, Don’t Pet Me, I’m Writing 15 months ago, I realized quickly that readers were looking to me for two things.

No, I’m not talking about my boobs.

My regular blog readers show up expecting cheap laughs and writing advice. I can offer the latter for the same reason a stuntman who’s broken every bone in his body can offer tips on helmet safety. I had a rather bumpy road to publication, so I know a few things about the landmines that can leave aspiring authors clutching their bloody stumps and shouting, “what the hell was that?!”

I’ve gotten on my soapbox about issues like how to handle critiques and why you shouldn’t fixate on a “dream agent” and 10 tips for tackling a beastly to do list and squashing self-doubt demons.

And while I stand by any advice I’ve given in the last 15 months, I always want to offer it with the caveat, “this totally applies to you…unless it doesn’t.”

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to writing or getting published. Some people take 20 tries to write a publishable manuscript. Some people get lucky (*snicker*) on a first try.

Some people follow strict rules about avoiding adverbs and being clumsy with back-story, while other authors thumb their noses at the so-called rules as they scramble to the top of the New York Times bestseller list.

So I guess my best advice is to ignore me. Choose your own path. Make your own rules. Forge ahead as fearlessly as you can, and brace yourself for the occasional smackdown.

And stop staring at my boobs.

7 Replies to “Deb Tawna says you shouldn’t listen to her writing advice”

  1. Sing it, sistah! There are valid reasons for breaking every writing “rule” out there. If it works, go for it. If it doesn’t, change it. But you won’t know if you don’t try.

  2. Cheap laughs are the best kind – quick, irreverent, surprising – I love tipping off balance with humor and it helps get the info across. I know this gal who did that in a pretty serious book about autism…. No on EVER looks AT her boobs though, more like FOR them.

    K

  3. Writing advice can be incredibly helpful… except when it’s not. It’s like with anything else: it’s important to know all the rules so you’re aware of what you’re doing when you break them.

    Cheap laughs though — can NEVER have too many of them. Keep blogging, and I’ll keep reading!

  4. I think there is one rule to writing…WRITE

    that’s it. If you follow that rule, you’ll learn all you need to know. Some lessons will be harder to take than others (like the first thousand rejections because your writing stinks) but over time (and a million words) you will learn.

    And stop looking at my luscious ta-tas.

  5. Sometimes I read too much writing advice and it paralyzes me. Not so yours which is mixed in with all that delightful sexual innuendo making it easier to digest.

    And you know, if they’re not staring at your boobs, their gaze has probably wandered south. Are you sure you want them to go there?

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