Behind Heinlein's Lines
Wednesday, December 17. 2008
For some time, I've kept Robert A. Heinlein's "Rules of writing" handy in a text file on my desktop. They are:
- You must write.
- You must finish what you write.
- You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
- You must put the work on the market.
- You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.
In Internet writing groups, there's been discussion floating around for years as to the validity and applicability of these rules. Certainly #1, #2, and #4 are valid. The controversial ones are #3 and #5.
What did the Master mean by "rewriting"? Not what I generally mean by the term, I rather think. I rewrite as a component of self-editing, as a way to improve my output based on my own re-reading or in response to Critters' comments. I believe RAH meant that one should not change the essence of what one wants to say in a piece, unless so directed in order to get published; even then, presumably, one would do so only if no principles were compromised. Personally, I'd be elated if an editor ordered me to do anything other than to "think of us again."
The final rule seems to direct aspiring authors to keep trying different editors and markets until a story is finally accepted by someone. The objection to this among purists is that one should not sell to non-professional markets anything that a professional market would not accept, because once one becomes "rich and famous" sometime later, the non-professional sales may become embarrassing. There are many things amiss with that attitude, which I trust are readily apparent. Suffice to say that I agree in principle with rule #5, even though I have yet to sell a short and I have several of them not in active consideration just now.
In between the cracks of writing my novel(s), I'll make an effort to be more faithful to rule #5. As to the rest, Mr. Heinlein, I'm doing my best.
For some time, I've kept Robert A. Heinlein's "Rules of writing" handy in a text file on my desktop. They are:
What did the Master mean by "rewriting"? Not what I generally mean by the term, I rather think. I rewrite as a component of self-editing, as a way to improve my output based on my own re-reading or in response to Critters' comments. I believe RAH meant that one should not change the essence of what one wants to say in a piece, unless so directed in order to get published; even then, presumably, one would do so only if no principles were compromised. Personally, I'd be elated if an editor ordered me to do anything other than to "think of us again."
The final rule seems to direct aspiring authors to keep trying different editors and markets until a story is finally accepted by someone. The objection to this among purists is that one should not sell to non-professional markets anything that a professional market would not accept, because once one becomes "rich and famous" sometime later, the non-professional sales may become embarrassing. There are many things amiss with that attitude, which I trust are readily apparent. Suffice to say that I agree in principle with rule #5, even though I have yet to sell a short and I have several of them not in active consideration just now.
In between the cracks of writing my novel(s), I'll make an effort to be more faithful to rule #5. As to the rest, Mr. Heinlein, I'm doing my best.
- You must write.
- You must finish what you write.
- You must refrain from rewriting, except to editorial order.
- You must put the work on the market.
- You must keep the work on the market until it is sold.
What did the Master mean by "rewriting"? Not what I generally mean by the term, I rather think. I rewrite as a component of self-editing, as a way to improve my output based on my own re-reading or in response to Critters' comments. I believe RAH meant that one should not change the essence of what one wants to say in a piece, unless so directed in order to get published; even then, presumably, one would do so only if no principles were compromised. Personally, I'd be elated if an editor ordered me to do anything other than to "think of us again."
The final rule seems to direct aspiring authors to keep trying different editors and markets until a story is finally accepted by someone. The objection to this among purists is that one should not sell to non-professional markets anything that a professional market would not accept, because once one becomes "rich and famous" sometime later, the non-professional sales may become embarrassing. There are many things amiss with that attitude, which I trust are readily apparent. Suffice to say that I agree in principle with rule #5, even though I have yet to sell a short and I have several of them not in active consideration just now.
In between the cracks of writing my novel(s), I'll make an effort to be more faithful to rule #5. As to the rest, Mr. Heinlein, I'm doing my best.
TRex on :
Are the rest really all that important?
Can you spell NuCular?
TRex-