By Sabyasachi Roy
Writing advice, ah. So full of wisdom. So universally agreed upon. So… annoying.
Don’t get me wrong—I respect the craft. I admire the dedication. But some of the so-called golden rules of writing? Yeah, I nod along, then go home and do the exact opposite. And somehow, miraculously, the universe does not implode.
Here are a few of the sacred commandments I continue to ignore, all while maintaining the illusion that I am a disciplined, responsible writer.
1. “Write Every Day”
Sure. And I’ll also go to the gym every morning, drink two liters of water, and stop doom-scrolling at 2 a.m.
Look, I get why this advice exists. Writing is a skill, and skills improve with practice. But let’s be real: forcing myself to churn out words when my brain is running on fumes does not result in brilliance. It results in sentences like, “He walked into the room. The room was walked into by him.”
Sometimes, writing needs a break. My best ideas don’t come when I’m staring at a blank page. They come when I’m doing absolutely anything else—washing dishes, taking a shower, dramatically reenacting arguments I’ll never have. So, no, I don’t write every day. But when I do, I make it count.
2. “Kill Your Darlings”
Oh, you mean the only part of my writing I actually like?
This advice is supposed to help writers cut unnecessary fluff. But let me tell you, there is nothing unnecessary about that one perfectly crafted paragraph that makes me giggle like an unhinged goblin.
Editing is important, sure. But sometimes, the so-called “darlings” are what give writing personality. So instead of murdering them in cold blood, I relocate them. I have an entire document titled “Things I Refuse to Delete,” where these precious sentences live. I tell myself I’ll repurpose them later. I never do. But it makes me feel better.
3. “Outline Before You Write”
Hahahahaha. No.
I have tried. I have made bullet points, drawn mind maps, even attempted the dreaded Roman numeral outline. It all ends the same way: me, halfway through the draft, realizing that I no longer care about whatever rigid structure I planned and instead want to follow an entirely different, much more chaotic idea.
Outlining works for some people, and I respect that. But for me? It’s like trying to follow a GPS when I’d rather just take random turns and see where I end up. Sometimes, this leads to a storytelling masterpiece. Other times, it leads to a literary train wreck. Either way, it’s more fun.
4. “Read Like a Writer”
Apparently, I’m supposed to analyze every book I read—break down sentence structures, study pacing, take notes.
No.
I read because I like stories, not because I want to perform an autopsy on every paragraph. I have no desire to sit there with a highlighter, muttering, “Ah yes, the way this author uses thematic motifs is simply exquisite.”
Sometimes, I accidentally learn things just by existing as a reader. But most of the time, I’m just trying to see if the protagonist will survive, or if the plot twist is as ridiculous as I suspect.
5. “Show, Don’t Tell”
Yeah, okay. Let me just spend three pages subtly hinting that a character is sad instead of saying, “She was sad.”
I understand the principle behind this advice. Over-explaining can make writing clunky. But there are times when a good, old-fashioned “he was furious” gets the job done faster than describing how his nostrils flared like an enraged bull.
There’s a balance. I do not need to describe every single emotional shift through intricate body language. Sometimes, telling is just fine.
Final Thoughts (Because I’ve Been Told Articles Need Those)
If following writing advice to the letter works for you, great. But if, like me, you occasionally (or frequently) ignore it and still manage to write things that people enjoy? Also great.
At the end of the day, the only real rule of writing is this: Do whatever it takes to get the words down. Even if it means breaking every other rule in the process.
Bio: Sabyasachi Roy is an academic writer, poet, artist, and photographer. His poetry has appeared in The Broken Spine, Stand, Poetry Salzburg Review, Dicey Brown, The Potomac, and more. He contributes craft essays to Authors Publish and has a cover image in Sanctuary Asia. His oil paintings have been published in The Hooghly Review. You can follow his writing on Substack here.
