6 More Authors Share Their Best Writing Advice

Welcome to the second installment of MY gilagreenwrites 5th anniversary celebration series!

For this special occasion, I've invited some of the remarkable authors I've had the pleasure of interviewing and hosting as guest contributors on the site. These talented writers have generously shared their best advice, offering a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to writers at all stages of their journey.

If you missed the first post in this series, click here to catch up. In it, you'll find invaluable insights from a diverse group of authors, covering genres from children's literature to YA and adult fiction.

In this post, I'm thrilled to feature another six authors who have graciously contributed their wisdom. Whether you're looking for tips on character development, plot structuring, or simply seeking motivation to keep writing, these authors have you covered. Let's dive in and explore the pearls of wisdom they have to offer.

Author Insights

Question : What is the best writing advice you ever received that you return to again and again?

Question : A do or a don't for writers?

1% Magic 

LN: "First thought best thought" from my mentor, Allen Ginsberg. This doesn't mean what you first put down on paper is great and leave it the way it is. What it means is, as you revise and revise and revise as I do, never forget the spark that inspired you to start writing any given piece in the first place. When you get stuck, return to the spark. Allen also said that writing is 33% inspiration, 33% respiration, and 33% perspiration. When I pointed out to him that this only adds up to 99% and asked him what the missing 1% consisted of, he smiled, raised his index finger to the sky and proclaimed, "Magic!"

LN: Don't give up. Sometimes a manuscript is sold on the first try; sometimes it takes a decade to find the right home for a project (I have had both these experiences). Or as my friend, the great writer Jane Yolen has said, "Sometimes an editor who will fall in love with your work hasn't even been born yet." Never give up!

---Lesléa Newman, author of Joyful Song: A Naming Story

You Can't Miss What you Never Had 

MK: The best writing advice I ever received came from Jennifer Hammer, a senior editor at NYU Press with whom I have worked on several of my books. I tend to write long, and early in my career she advised me: "No one will ever miss what they don't know was ever there." So true. I have passed this wisdom on to many of my junior colleagues as well.

MK: As for a do or don't—Do talk to other writers about what kinds of practices work best for them, but don't assume that someone else has a better idea of how to build your writing life than you do. Following someone else's plan or schedule or program won't lead you down your own path.

--Melissa Klapper, author of Ballet Class: an American History 

Daily Check Ins 

"Try to touch the work most days. It needn't be for any set amount of time or word count."

"Persist! It's easy to lose faith, but if you keep going, eventually the work will accrue, emerge."

--Jennifer Rosner, author of The Yellow Bird Sings

Spill It 

"Hush the editor on your shoulder when you're writing that first draft. Let the words spill out as quickly and uncritically as you can. Bring the editor back in for the second draft to help you shape, revise, and make your story sing."

"Don't write what you think others want you to write. Take a deep breath, reflect and look deep into your heart for the story that resonates with you, the story that only you can tell in the way that only you can tell it."

--Nancy Churnin, author of A Queen to the Rescue, the Story of Henrietta Szold, Founder of Hadassah

Don't Skip Sensitivity 

"Perseverance! I created a mantra for myself that others have embraced. It's "Perseverance is the act or true role models and heroes." There are many challenges in writing. Don't give up. Rejection is a part of publishing. Don't let rejections stop you from pursuing your dream. "

"Do get sensitivity readers. If you're writing a Jewish character and you're Jewish, it's still so valuable and critical to have other Jewish authors as a sensitivity reader your manuscript. They might catch that can make all the difference for your work. Don't miss this important step."

---Liza Weimer, author of The Assignment

The Last May be your Best

The best writing advice I know comes from a text by Marcia Freeman called Teaching the Youngest Writer. It is true advice for all writers, regardless of age.

"Ultimately, the quality of a good piece of writing is determined by the amount of revision a writer is willing to do." --Marcia Freeman

Personally, I do close to 50 drafts on average for every story I write. Sometimes, many more. In my mind, persistence is the key to success. Keep revising, keep trying. The next draft may be your best one."

—Jacqueline Jules, author of the Zapato Power series

These authors' experiences and advice provide a wealth of guidance for any writer. Writing is a journey filled with constant learning and evolution. Take these insights to heart, and let them inspire and inform your own creative process. Keep pushing forward, exploring new ideas, and honing your craft. Keep writing!