There are a lot of myths out there about writing. You might believe some of them without even realizing it. But if those myths go unchallenged, they can cause frustration, disappointment, and slower progress in your writing journey.
I’ve been a writer for over a decade. I’ve written eight novels and dozens of short stories, novellas, and screenplays. And I’ve bought into several myths about writing at one time or another. Now, with hindsight, I can see how some of those beliefs were holding me back.
Where do these myths come from? Some are simple misunderstandings held by people who aren’t writers. Some have actually been spread by writers themselves, often unwittingly. A hasty generalization might be taken as authoritative truth.
There are as many ways of writing as there are writers. And while there’s a lot we can learn from famous authors and common writing advice, not everything you hear about writing is universally true. And some things you hear… just aren’t true at all.
So here are 10 of the biggest myths about writing, debunked.
Myth 1: Originality is king.
We all want to write something new, right? Something fresh, something innovative, something the world’s never seen before. Originality is a great thing to strive for, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood parts of writing.
See, originality on one level is impossible. No idea is really new; people have been writing stories for so long that practically every story structure, twist, or character type has already been thought of.
But on another level, if you know what you’re doing, originality is inevitable. To explain what I mean, we need to talk about space wizards and the guy on the $10 bill.
Star Wars is a story that’s often brought up in conversations about originality, and for good reason. It feels fresh and original, but it’s also clearly drawing from established stories. What makes it great isn’t that every element of its world and story is completely original. It’s that the sources it’s drawing from are numerous and varied. George Lucas took pieces of stories as disparate as Flash Gordon serials and Kurosawa films to create a new take on the space opera genre. This is also why it’s hard to place Star Wars in just one genre—is it sci-fi? Fantasy? Adventure? Family drama? Well, it’s all of these things, and more. Lucas didn’t just draw inspiration from other fictional stories, but from real life as well, from Ancient Rome to the Vietnam War to the dogfights of World War Two. And he’s quite transparent about where his inspiration came from, which is a good sign of originality. If you steal from one source, that’s plagiarism. If you steal from a hundred, that’s creativity.
For a more modern example, look at Hamilton. It combines existing influences, which again, its creator isn’t shy about giving credit to, to create something new. History, musical theater, hip-hop, rap, and literature are woven into the show, which is replete with references and parallels to existing music and stories. But drawing together these different genres and inspirations into a cohesive piece makes for an original experience.
Now, there’s certainly an argument to be made that one should be wary of tossing too many ideas into a blender and calling it a story. Not all flavors mix—like a chef, you have to figure out which ones do, to create a surprising, but still palatable, taste. As the previous examples show, you can create a cohesive, tight story even with a vast array of influences.
In short, originality is impossible on a micro level, but inevitable on a macro level if you’re drawing from a wide enough range of influences. Your chances of creating a completely original protagonist are slim. But the totality of your story can create a completely original experience for a reader.
So while it is a myth that total originality is an attainable and reasonable goal for your writing, you can still write something that’s new. Don’t worry too much if none of your individual ideas are mind-blowingly original. If you fixate on originality, you’ll never write anything at all. But by taking inspiration from a wide variety of sources, you’ll write something that, as a whole, is unique.
Myth 2: Writer’s block is inevitable.
Writer’s block is a puzzling phenomenon. Some say it’s the bane of their existence, while others say it doesn’t exist at all.
So, is writer’s block real? Yes and no.
Writer’s block isn’t an immutable law like gravity. And it’s not inevitable. It’s a mental block, an issue of mindset caused by a false belief. Anyone who says they’ve experienced writer’s block isn’t lying—it can feel very real. But like any thought, it’s only real in the confines of your mind, and it only matters insofar as it affects your actions.
Writer’s block most often stems from a deeper myth—that everything you write has to live up to a certain standard of quality.
Having standards is great, of course. My standard of quality is the reason I unpublished my first ten books. You want to be discerning and think like an editor when you’re putting something out into the world.
But writing itself requires an entirely different way of thinking. If you hold yourself to the same high standards, you’ll never allow yourself to write a rough first draft. Those standards are the primary cause of writer’s block. If you feel stuck, give yourself permission to write something bad. Write just for yourself, with no expectations or judgment. By simply putting any words on the page, you’ll prove to yourself that, by definition, you don’t have writer’s block.
There is a second cause of writer’s block, though I’d guess it’s less common. You might find yourself staring blankly at the page with nothing to write about. No ideas.
This might seem like more of a real problem with an actionable solution: you need to go out and find inspiration, do research, gather material. And maybe you do.
But it also might be the case that you’re falling prey to another false belief: that you have to wait for inspiration to strike before you can write.
Here’s the thing: writing isn’t a linear process where you get inspiration and then write. It’s a cycle where inspiration leads to writing which leads to inspiration and so on. You can start writing without inspiration. Sure, the words might be dull and meandering at first, but sooner or later, the act of writing will lead to inspiration. Creativity is a flywheel—once you get it started, it naturally generates its own momentum.
It’s easy enough to say you shouldn’t wait for inspiration to start writing. But what do you write about?
I promise you—if you have lived for even a decade, you have enough material to work with for the next five decades. Especially with fiction, there’s no limit to what you can dream up. Like I talked about earlier, all stories are remixes of existing ideas. And there are infinitely many combinations. Let your mind wander and connect dots in unlikely ways. If you think you have nothing to write about, you’re not giving your imagination the room it needs.
I don’t know about you, but when I was a young kid, I never experienced writer’s block. Because back then, I didn’t have high standards of quality, and I didn’t need to wait around for inspiration—it was everywhere. If you put yourself back in that headspace, you’ll find that writer’s block really isn’t inevitable. In fact, it’s entirely avoidable.
Myth 3: Write what you know.
This one’s more of a misconception. It’s easy to hear this piece of advice and assume it means you can only write about things you’ve experienced firsthand. And while maybe that applies to certain kinds of nonfiction, the whole point of fiction is to use imagination to build understanding and empathy.
But properly interpreted, this ‘myth’ is actually a good piece of advice. Your writing should stem from something deeply personal, on a thematic or emotional level. You don’t have to have in-depth knowledge of dragons to write about dragons. But you should have a thorough understanding of the truth at the heart of the story—the larger questions your story asks, the emotions it explores.
This isn’t just because you’ll be able to write about said questions or emotions better. It’s also because you’ll write a story that’s more authentically and distinctively you. And since it’s coming from a place of truth and experience, you’ll be more passionate about it. Your story will be more meaningful to you and your readers.
Okay, so that’s the emotional and thematic side of things. But how does ‘write what you know’ apply, or not apply, to more tangible things?
You can write about almost any real-life place or technology or idea, as long as you do plenty of research. And you’re in luck! It’s never been easier in the history of humankind to research whatever you need to know for your story.
Of course, nothing beats the real thing. If you’re going to, say, write a story set in my wonderful hometown of New York, it’s best if you’ve visited the city and gotten to know it in person. But that’s not always possible, which is where resources like books and the internet come in handy.
Thriller author Tom Clancy did such extensive research for his book The Hunt for Red October that members of the U.S. Navy questioned if he had obtained classified information to write it. Despite the book’s thorough technical descriptions, Clancy had never set foot on a nuclear submarine until the book was nearly finished. Just goes to show how far good research can get you.
Myth 4: You’re too young (or old) to write a book.
I wrote my first novel when I was 7, and I plan to keep writing novels until I’m dead. No matter how little experience you have in writing or in life, it’s never too early to try writing a book. Nor is it ever too late.
When I was 12, I expressed why I believe this in an article for the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program blog.
“You’ll never be the same writer again. You’ll never be the same age, or look at the world with the same eyes again. Your perspective is unique. No one writes the way you do, or has the same views as you do. That is why writing is such an amazing thing. We can express ourselves, and in doing that, learn about other people, and how they think.”
I wrote those words nearly 7 years ago. And… I agree with my younger self. Just because you’re young or old doesn’t mean your perspective as a writer doesn’t matter. If anything, it might be all the more interesting because of your age. You may not have as much experience in writing or in life as most authors, but you have something unique to offer.
You can look at being young, old, or any age in between as a bad thing. But it’s all a matter of how you look at it. Those with little experience can often have the most groundbreaking, unexpected ideas, since they’re not beholden to the rules and limitations learned by the more experienced.
When I was younger, I didn’t have a deep understanding of story structure, genre conventions, or tropes. Much of what I wrote was weird, wild, hard to categorize. I blended genres with abandon. I broke the rules, because I was too young to know what they were. Sure, my early books may not have been very good from an ‘objective’ standpoint, but I’d much rather write something fun and avant-garde that isn’t great than something bland that’s just fine.
And remember—no one has to read your first attempt, your first ten attempts, at writing a book. No matter how bad a book I wrote turned out, I never regretted writing it. Everything you write will teach you something.
If you’re worried that people won’t take you or your book seriously because of your age… you’re probably right. But write it anyway. The sooner you start, the more time you’ll have to improve.
Myth 5: Writing will make you rich and famous.
Some people try to write a book because they believe it’s a great way to get rich and famous. Those people… are very wrong.
You can make a living from writing; you can even gain fame doing it. But if that’s your main reason for writing, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Believe me, there are much easier ways to get rich and famous. Writing even one book is a feat of endurance; it’s a marathon.
If your motivation is simply a desire for the external factors of money or attention, you’ll run out of fuel when things get tough. Extrinsic motivation can get you started. Thinking about the lucrative book deal you’ll land, the awards you’ll win, the feeling of holding your own book in your hands—those are good for short-term bursts of excitement about writing. They’re not inherently bad. It’s okay—in fact, I’d say it’s good—to have ambitious dreams. But so much of that is outside your control. You don’t have much of a say in whether your book becomes successful. You can’t wish your way into becoming a New York Times bestselling author. If you rely on those external factors to propel you forward, your motivation to write will dissipate the moment they seem out of reach. And if you manage to achieve your goals of selling X number of copies or winning a prestigious award… what then? Why keep going, unless you’re constantly setting ever-more-ambitious external goals? You’ll be stuck in a cycle of always wanting more, and looking for motivation in things outside your control.
But if your motivation to write comes from an internal passion for the craft and the stories you’re telling, you’ll stand a much better chance of ‘making it.’ Intrinsic motivation holds up over the long term. Your satisfaction with your work is within your control; you’re not relying on external validation to bring you happiness. It’s a much healthier and more sustainable mindset. You may never become rich and famous, but at the very least, you’ll have enjoyed the journey. And that’s what it’s all about. Corny but true.
Myth 6: You can’t make a living from writing.
On the flip side of the coin, some believe pursuing a career in writing is a fast track to going broke.
The idea of the ‘starving artist’ is remarkably prevalent, and it leads many to conclude that attempting to build a career as an artist is a futile endeavor. But in reality, it’s very possible. There are plenty of writing-related jobs you can have. You can be a freelance writer, an editor, a copywriter, a blogger, a journalist, an author, or all of the above.
Thanks to the internet, it’s more possible now than ever before to be your own boss, to make a living independent of an employer. And though there’s nothing wrong with being a writer for a company, in my opinion, you’re better off working for yourself. Of course, you’ll have more creative freedom, but you’ll also, somewhat counterintuitively, have better job security. With how fast the world is changing, it’s hard to predict what jobs will still exist in ten years, or even five. If you can be your own employer… you probably won’t get fired. And you can adapt to new developments much faster than a corporation could.
But I know, it’s easier said than done. I don’t make a living from my creative work yet, so what do I know? Well, I do know that it’s possible. And if you buy into the ‘starving artist’ myth, you’ll never give yourself the chance you deserve to succeed.
Keep in mind that, just like writing a novel, building a career as a writer is a marathon. It can take a long time. There are innumerable examples of successful writers who worked for decades before making a living from their writing. Don’t get discouraged if your first book isn’t a bestseller. Give yourself time. Be strategic, think long-term, and don’t give up.
Myth 7: Publishing is expensive or inaccessible.
While there are benefits to getting published traditionally, publishing yourself is an increasingly good option. Remember what I said about being your own boss? The internet has democratized the publishing world, which was at one time dominated by gatekeepers. Now, you don’t have to wait for some big company to publish your work—you can do it yourself. And it can cost as little or as much as you want.
I published my first ten books for free using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. Of course, investing in hiring an editor or a cover designer can improve the finished product, but spending a lot of money isn’t a necessity. Especially if you don’t have ambitions of making a living as a writer, publishing doesn’t have to be expensive and complicated.
Submitting your work to literary magazines and publishing companies is often free. Personally, I’ve never submitted anything to a traditional publisher, since I’ve never been interested in going that route. If you do get traditionally published, the publisher will cover the costs of producing the book, but it’s worth noting that even the biggest publishing houses don’t allocate much to marketing books from anyone but their most popular authors. So whichever route you go, you’ll likely need to be your book’s primary marketer. And given publishers take a much larger cut of book sales, don’t assume traditional publishing will be a wiser financial decision than self-publishing.
Speaking of marketing…
Myth 8: No artist is a marketer.
Wouldn’t it be great to write a book that becomes an instant bestseller without ever needing to market it? Yes. Yes it would. A lot of writers have an aversion to marketing; some even believe that no true artist is a marketer. But that’s a myth. Artists like Pablo Picasso, Mark Twain, Andy Warhol, and Charles Dickens took the initiative in marketing their work, whether through interviews, public readings, book tours, or documenting and sharing their creative process. You may have written a masterpiece, but if you’re not proactive in spreading the word, no one will ever know.
Marketing gets a bad rap because there are so many examples of people doing it poorly. You shouldn’t feel like a used car salesman when you’re sharing your book with the world.
Sometimes, aversion to marketing can stem from insecurity about the value of your work. But if you’ve put your all into a book, if you think it’s good, then it’s worth sharing. No matter how niche your story is, someone out there would love to read it. But, you know, they can’t read it if they don’t know it exists. You don’t have to go door-to-door, shouting at people to buy your book—please don’t—but you can find methods of marketing that suit you, and that you even enjoy. You could make videos about your books, or sell them at in-person events, or share excerpts of your book online. It might take some trial and error, but find ways to market your work and yourself as an artist. After putting all that work into your book, it’s the least you can do.
Myth 9: Writers have to be alone.
We often think of writers as solitary creatures. Artistic recluses who shut out the world, preferring to spend time in worlds of their own imagining. Honestly, sometimes, that’s pretty accurate. But while writing itself can be a rather isolated activity, writers don’t have to be alone all the time.
Part of my motivation in creating videos like these is to build a community of other writers. The internet is the easiest place to connect with people who share your passion for writing. There are plenty of groups and communities, from Instagram to YouTube to online forums, where you can congregate, commiserate, and collaborate with fellow writers.
But there’s also a lot of value in meeting people in person. I haven’t met many other writers face-to-face yet, but I have been able to connect with quite a few fellow YouTube creators, musicians, photographers, and filmmakers. Don’t worry too much about finding people who do exactly what you do. In fact, I think connecting with artists who work in different mediums is just as important as connecting with other writers. Talking to people in a variety of creative fields—and even people who don’t do creative work at all—can lead to some really interesting conversations and new perspectives on art.
Myth 10: Writing is always hard.
The way some writers talk about writing, you’d think it’s a form of self-imposed torture.
“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” That’s a famous quote often attributed (probably incorrectly) to Hemingway. And I’ve always had an issue with it.
Putting aside the fact that I usually don’t sit to write, nor do I use a typewriter, why should writing be like bleeding? Granted, there is something about that sentiment that resonates. Writing can be emotionally vulnerable. It can feel like you’re putting part of yourself on the page. And at times, it can be difficult to get the words out, so it can be mentally taxing. But bleeding is painful and usually not healthy.
Maybe it’s just me, but shouldn’t writing be enjoyable? I think it’s a myth that writing is always hard, or that producing great art requires great pain. Writing about darker topics can be difficult, but ultimately, if you don’t enjoy the process of writing… why are you a writer?
Yes, writing can be raw and dark and challenging, but let’s not forget that it can be fun, too. In the pursuit of creating great art, don’t lose the joy that creativity can bring.
So those are ten of the biggest myths about writing. I’m curious—have you ever believed any of these myths? Are there any you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments.
If you want to watch the video versions of these blog posts, head over to my YouTube channel here, and subscribe for more videos on writing.
– Grayson Taylor
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