For Writers - Permission to Suck

This week's tip is a day early because I will be away from my computer tomorrow.

The tip is simple. Give yourself permission to suck.

Remember that you are not alone when you write that sucky first draft. Your words do not have to be perfect their first time out on the page, so don't get discouraged or give up because they aren't. Even the best of the best rewrite:

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.” — Margaret Atwood

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” — Octavia Butler

"The first draft of anything is sh!t." -- Earnest Hemingway

"The only way I can get anything written at all is to write really sh!tty first drafts." --Anne Lamott

"It is better to write a bad first draft than to write no first draft at all." --Will Shetterly

Amy King wrote an excellent piece on embracing your suck here: The Writer's Middle Finger

Also Superhero Nation's recent post: It's Okay if Your First Draft Sucks

Power to the suck!

This week's link roundup:

Favorite books on writing (The Divining Wand) Excellent resource

More great writing books (Fiction Groupie)

Theme (Magical Words) On Identifying what your theme is

Subplots (YA Muses) Avoid the drag

Colorful Writing (Kate Hart) Excellent

On writing historicals (Quips and Tips)

Balancing Backstory (Jody Hedlund)

Butt in the chair for how long? (Ingrid's Notes) the time it takes to master your craft

Mediocre Metaphors (Paranormal POV) How to make them great

Never been there? (Write it Sideways) How to write it anyway

Don't sweat the small stuff (fiction groupie) Find your story's magic

Writing 11 Senses (Seeing Creative) Interesting

4 Phases of Idea Generation (Iggi & Gabi)

5 Ways Romance can enhance a story (Iggi & Gabi)

5 Stages of grief post-critique (Beyond the Margins) and 4 steps to revision

5 ways to mess up your manuscript (Victoria Mixon)

5 ways to write with emotion (quips and tips)

9 Plotting Steps (YA Muses)

7 online research tools for writers (Daily Tips)

10 Ways to keep the momentum (Book Dreaming)

10 ways to reach The End (It's a Mystery)

13 ways to find your hook (Publetariat)

Breaking Rules (The Editor's Blog)

Breaking more rules (It's a Mystery)

Annoyed by rules (Elana Johnson)

Balance, Priorities & Rewards (Writer Unboxed)

Building Magic in your World (The Other Side of the Story)

Vague writing is weak writing (Word Play)

Author voice & character voice (Elle Strauss)

Writing Male Characters (a.k.a.) Men are Jerks (Brain Scientist's Take on Writing) Ha. Love Livia.

Now go. Write!