Forget the Rules. Just Write.
When I started studying writing, I thought there were rules. There are not. There are good practices, but there are no rules. If you are following rules right now, they are holding you back.
When I started writing, like the Greeks, I thought there was some Muse, some Inspiration, that was supposed to settle on me. There was not. The only inspiration needed was to sit down and type.
When I studied writing, even at the university, I was told there were formulas. There are no formulas. The only formula is that you need to write.
I’ve been writing for decades, creating stories, packaging products, and helping other authors, filmmakers, and playwrights be successful. It’s been rewarding. One of the hardest things for me to break in other writers is the same thing that was hardest for me to break in myself: bad habits and false beliefs. Too many teachers and other writers teach us too many things that are holding us back.
Too often, we want to write what we think will sell (hence, rules, inspiration, formula). Instead, we should write our hearts. We should instead write things that will move others. We do that by telling our stories, not regurgitating ones already told through rules and formulas. And we certainly do that by sitting down and writing and not waiting for the Muse. Our greatness is in our own stories being told in the way that our stories need to be said, which comes from each of us individually. That is our voice.
Today, I challenge you to write a story without any preconceived notions or boundaries. If you've been adhering to rules and formulas, take a break and write with more freedom. Let your creativity flow without waiting for inspiration or following a formula. See how it feels. Embrace the creativity that emerges.
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