If you’ve been following my writer’s alphabet so far, you’ll know it’s intended to be a handy catalogue of suggestions for creative writers. It’s not a list of rules (in any case, rules are made to be broken). But it might just give you a jolt when you need it.
Up to now I’ve been playing it safe, telling you all about the craft of writing: parts of speech and dialogue attribution and why you should let your characters live and breathe for themselves. But real creativity requires more than just craft. It needs just a dash of madness. Hold tight – this could get messy.
Y is for Yes
Every time you ask yourself, ‘Have I really got time to write today?’ Every time you ask yourself, ‘Is what I’m doing any good?’ Every time you ask yourself, ‘Can I do it?’ The answer is, ‘Yes.’
Z is for Zombie Attack
When the zombie apocalypse comes, take heart from the sure knowledge that never in the history of the world has there been a single documented case of the undead killing and eating a creative writer. As a creative writer, your survival amid the burning wreckage of civilisation is completely assured.
So cast all fear aside. Take those twenty-six little runes and assemble them into the words you need to tell the story that’s ready to burst out of your head. Use the writer’s alphabet. Do what you were built to do.
Write.
Well, that’s the end of my writer’s alphabet. I hope you liked it. Don’t worry that I’ve used up all the letters. Just go right back to the beginning and start creating one of your own …
Graham Edwards 