Top 5 Favorite Pieces of Writing Advice

This week our 5 year blogiversary celebration continues with some of our favorite pieces of writing advice! And if you haven't done so already pop over to our blogiversary post and enter to win free books and critiques!

What are you top five favorite pieces of writing advice?

Shari Green 

1. First, a quote – not advice, really, but something I hold close as a children’s author: “We have been given the sacred task of making hearts large through story.” (Kate DiCamillo)
2. Writing a first draft is making clay (so it's okay if it's messy!). Revising is sculpting something worthwhile out of that clay.
3.  Keep showing up. (Do the work.) 
4. So much of publishing is out of your hands. Don’t spend your energy on things that are out of your control.
5. There’s always more to learn. 

Jamie Krakover

1. Just because something works for someone else doesn't mean it must work for you. You do you! 
2. You don't have to write every day to be a writer 
3. Remove aspiring from your profile, if you write you're a writer, not an aspiring writer 
4. Kill the filter words, it strengthens your writing. Not he heard the car horn blare, just the car horn blared. 
5. Keep moving forward. Find good writing buddies that wont let you quit.

Tom Torre

1. You are your own writer - it's good to be inspired by other authors, but find your own voice. That's where you'll find the most success.
2.  Can't stop, won't stop - write when you can, as much as you can. But don't force it. Let it come when it feels the most natural. 
3. Always keep an open mind to critiques. Your beta readers, critique partners, editors, agents, whatever, all want what's best for you and want to help you improve your craft.
4.  KEEP READING!!! The most important part about writing is reading. 
5. Ignore the "no's" and focus on getting that "yes" - as writers we will experience ten million no's before we get that magic yes. The yes will come, as long as you're in it for the long haul. 
6. BONUS - never give up, never surrender

Tom Mulroy

1. Don't compare your progress to others.
2. Read.
3. Give yourself time away from a project when you need to.
4. Remember most of the work is done in revision.
5. This is more of an industry thing that a writing thing, but all the same: Be nice to people.

  Kim Ventrella

1. Every great book feels like a failure at some point. If you can remember that, and remember what it felt like to move past that failure, you'll likely be able to make a career as a writer.
2. It’s about emotional connection. If readers relate to your character, then they’ll care what happens to them, and you’ve just won the biggest battle of good storytelling.
3. Back on failure If you can embrace it (i.e. allow yourself to experiment and fail) you’ll grow much faster as a writer, as opposed to always trying to be perfect.
4. Take every opportunity you can to remind yourself why you started writing. Push yourself to constantly rediscover that magic.
5. Step out of the high-stakes performance zone on occasion and take time to study great books, analyze what makes them great and then experiment with what you’ve learned in your own writing.

There's our writing advice. What's some of your favorite pieces of writing advice? Let us know in the comments!