'Harsh writing advice' memes take off on Twitter
- Published
When trying to write - a quick article, for instance, or an essay or even that tricky first novel - it can be easy to become distracted.
Twitter seems to be full of people who are, or should be, or want to be writing. Many of them have heard plenty of tips and advice from others over the years and are keen to pass some of those nuggets of wisdom on.
"Harsh writing advice" began trending on Twitter after originating in a now-deleted tweet which survived as screenshots, stating that writing friends are also competition.
As a few people seem to think I also created the original HARSH WRITING ADVICE tweet (so I’m subtweeting myself??), I did not and am just being silly. The original tweet, not by me, was — pic.twitter.com/0LSbpZaEdB
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) January 29, 2021
It led to some people dismissing the statement.
HARSH WRITING ADVICE:
— Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) January 29, 2021
Thinking of your friends as competition isn’t going to make you a better writer, because no matter what imaginary horse race you invent, you can only write what you write. So write it.
But it also morphed into Twitter users exchanging pieces of writing advice ranging from the serious...
HARSH WRITING ADVICE: The first time you think your book is finished, you've actually reached the starting line and are ready to start writing the real version.
— Lilly Dancyger (@lillydancyger) January 29, 2021
...more or less harsh..
HARSH WRITING ADVICE is most often given by people who are avoiding writing
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) January 29, 2021
...to the harsher piece of advice:
HARSH WRITING ADVICE book auctions are literally the hunger games where you fight other writers to the death so make sure you do a few pushups before you go on submission
— Lindsay Ellis (@thelindsayellis) January 29, 2021
The memes became increasingly whimsical, as here...
harsh writing advice: you don’t always need to write the letters in the order they’re in in the alphabet, sometimes you can switch it up a bit
— pixelatedboat aka “mr tweets” (@pixelatedboat) January 29, 2021
...here...
HARSH WRITING ADVICE there is no German language. it's not real. they're lying to you, and anyone who tries to pressure you into putting "German" in your writing is trying to scam you.
— Lindsay Ellis (@thelindsayellis) January 29, 2021
...or here...
HARSH WRITING ADVICE
— Kate Gray (@hownottodraw) January 29, 2021
okay so first u gotta start with the H. it sort of looks like two worms holding hands
for the A, it's the same worms, but kissing!!!
next is R, which like a P but with a little leggy
S is easy. just get the pen and go SWOOSH
and then another worms for H!
...to the downright gruesome:
HARSH WRITING ADVICE:
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) January 29, 2021
You have to hunt and eat your fellow writers. They will taste of Cheetos, pink wine and despair. But this is how the Publishing Gods are fed.
Sorry.
In the end, there's only one way to reach your goal:
“Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work...”
— Ian Green (@iangreenboxing) March 27, 2016
― Albert Einstein #life #boxing #YGArmy pic.twitter.com/bwPWvkNlIH
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