Friday 12 October 2012

Clancy Tucker - Writing Tips

Clancy Tucker writes young adult fiction for reluctant readers but has also achieved success as a poet and photographer. Clancy has lived in four countries, speaks three languages, has had photography accepted and published in books in the USA. He has also written more than 145 short stories and bush poems. Clancy’s been short-listed, ‘Commended’ and ‘Highly Commended’ in writing contests and had ten short stories published in literary magazines. His most recent release Gunnedah Hero has won three awards in the National Literary Awards: 'Highly Commended', FAW Jim Hamilton Award, 2006 National Literary Awards, ‘Highly Commended’ in the FAW Jim Hamilton Award – 2007 and ‘Commended’ in the FAW Christina Stead Award – 2011.
Today Clancy shares some of his best writing tips with us.

·         Don't be one of those people who just talk about being a writer... BE a writer. Write something! And never give up --- never, never, never, never.

·         My advice to aspiring writers is to write as much as you can as regularly as you can --- every day, ideally. Write because you want to write rather than because you want to be a writer. Be original or don't bother.

·         Write as you speak, and on the subjects that you know about.

·         Don't let anybody discourage you!

·         Read. Read. Read. Outline. Outline. Outline. Write. Write. Write. Repeat. That's it!

·         Be grateful for every word you can cut.

·         Do it because you must, because you want to, need to, couldn't live with yourself otherwise. If you do it for the fame and glory, you may fall hard on your face.

·         Write about what obsesses you.

·         Rejection is a speed bump, not a brick wall.

·         If writing is important to you, you must be prepared to work hard at it, and simplify your life so that you can give your art the time and energy it requires. You must be willing to take risks, try new forms, grow with each thing you write. You must try to tell the truth as best you are able.

·         You have to trust your gut, trust your characters to take a story where it's going to go. Sometimes a story has a life of its own, so let it breathe and develop.

·         Give it your best shot.

·         You have to commit. A book is not just writing --- you have to promote the book, read the contracts … seriously.

·         Your agent does NOT know more than you do, and neither does your editor. I listen to advice, but I don't always follow it. Back your gut feeling at all times. It’s your baby.

·         Learn all you can about the publishing industry which is currently in a state of turmoil.

·         These are the points I published in 'Kid Magazine' in the USA in February 2005. They still apply.

* If you are really serious about becoming a writer, try to write 2,000 words a day.

* Accept rejection as part of the journey.

* Seek criticism, swallow it, take it on board objectively and use it to improve.

* Read similar work published by other writers ... learn, don’t copy.

* Find something you are passionate about and write passionately about it.

* Revise, revise, revise ... don’t change things for the sake of change. Alter your work to make it better.

* Never give up.

* Do not take yourself too seriously.

 Clancy Tucker

Thanks for sharing Clancy, there are some great tips there! Clancy Tucker writes a daily blog that contains tips for emerging and aspiring writers, plus hosts guests from around the world. These guests include a range from people from authors, diplomats and illustrators as well as human rights lawyers and a whole heap more.
To learn more about Clancy click on the links.
www.clancytucker.blog.com
www.clancytucker.com.au

 

 

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