Tip #4

What is your job, your function as a writer? Do you write poetry or prose? If you write prose, what genre do you favor If you write novels, you probably tell stories. James A. Michener was a storyteller, and he excelled at it.

Tip #4. “The job of a storyteller is to tell stories, and I have concentrated on that obligation.”

And Mr. Michener did an outstanding job! You might have noticed that his novels are long. For example, Texas has 1,474 pages, and Hawaii has 1,490 pages. But he conducted extensive research, he did his homework, and rewrote them several times with editorial assistance. The first printing of Texas was 750,000 copies.

But don’t try to copy Mr. Michener. Don’t try to write long stories. Instead write what you feel comfortable with. Be yourself, establish your voice and your style, do your homework, give yourself time to excel. But write! And you may be thrilled with the results if you …

Write Creatively.

Writing Wisdom from James A. Michener

Do you daydream about becoming a famous writer earning a big paycheck from a profusion of royalties? Well, don’t give up on the dream, but I’d like to pass along several tips I’ve gleaned from James A. Michener – author of Hawaii, Texas, Centennial, and many others. I’ll share some of them with you this week, and the first tip will come out tomorrow.

They will not be in an order that Mr. Michener proposed, but in the order they cross my mind. Oh, and don’t think in terms of instant success – that rarely happens. However, the story you want to write is important, but learn to write well so that others will want to read it. Learn to …

Write Creatively.