Rules for Writers.

I wrote a series of articles for Writing.ie called 'Rules for Writers.' (Spoiler alert, there are none.) It draws upon every small thought I have ever had about myself on the writing path, and every thought I imagine others might have had. Though by no means would I call it an extensive list of self-loathing thoughts, it still gave me enough material for three separate articles.

"You have a book in you. You know it. You need to get it out, somehow. Not just anywhere mind; neither the gutter nor the pub will do. You need to get it onto a page, or series of pages, preferably. Maybe you’ve started. You might have even finished (for the eleventh time).
            But then, it hits you: you’re not a writer. You can’t be. You’re not Edna O’Brien, or Hemingway, or Dickens, real writers who have written real books notorious enough to be banned, or have whole sections in academic libraries dedicated to them, or whose works have been turned into films and television shows over and over again. Sure no-one, apart from that one person, and your cat, has even read a word of what you’ve written. So how on earth can you even begin to think you can call yourself a writer?"

Rules for Writers for writing.ie

If you've ever struggled with your writing, or wondered why the hell you do it at all, or felt overwhelmed by feelings of abject failure and helplessness, you might find something of use in 'Rules for Writers.' I even throw a bit of practical advice in there, too.

​You can read the article series HERE.