The Writing Advice I Wish I Had Ignored Sooner
There’s no shortage of writing advice out there. Books, blogs, YouTube videos, craft courses—you name it, someone has a “rule” for how to write a novel. And when I first started writing Facility X, I devoured it all.
Some of it helped. Some of it slowed me down. And some of it, honestly, I wish I’d never listened to at all.
So, in the spirit of being real about the writing process, here’s the advice I wish I had ignored sooner, and what I’ve learned instead.
1. “Don’t write unless you know your ending.”
This one hurt me for months. I thought I wasn’t ready to write because I didn’t have a neat little outline with the perfect third-act twist. So I kept “planning.” Or, let’s be real—I just kept stalling.
What finally got the story moving wasn’t knowing the ending. It was being curious enough to find it. The truth is, some of the best moments in my book came from letting the characters make choices I didn’t expect.
Now I say: Start messy. The ending will show up when it's ready.
2. “Show, don’t tell.”
Ah yes, the golden rule. And while yes, generally, it’s better to show a character’s fear instead of just saying “she was scared,” I spent too long being terrified of telling anything.
Here’s the truth: sometimes telling is efficient, clean, and totally necessary. Especially when you’re trying to maintain pacing or slide in backstory without a flashback marathon.
Now I say: Know when to show. Know when to tell. Both are tools, not commandments.
3. “Write every day.”
This one made me feel like a failure more than once. Life happens. Kids happen. Exhaustion happens. There were weeks where writing at all felt like a luxury. There were days were I thought I would never get to write again.
I used to think I wasn’t a “real” writer unless I was consistent. But consistency doesn’t mean daily. It means you keep coming back, even if it’s messy. Even if it’s been three weeks.
Now I say: Write when you can. Rest when you need. Progress is still progress.
4. “Your main character has to be likable.”
No, they don’t.
They have to be interesting. They have to want something. They have to make choices. But likable? That’s optional.
When I tried to soften Janie too much early on, I realized I was flattening her. Making her palatable instead of real. She’s prickly, closed-off, and angry at the world, and she has good reasons for all of it.
Now I say: Give your character flaws. That’s what makes them stick.
5. “Write what you know.”
If I’d stuck to this, I never would’ve written about aliens in secret research facilities or the ethical horrors of human experimentation.
But what I do know is fear and grief. The ache of wanting to understand someone you’re not sure you trust. I know how it feels to be stuck between doing what’s right and doing what’s safe. And that’s what fueled the story.
Now I say: Write what you feel. The rest you can research.
Final Thoughts
Not all advice is bad. But not all of it is for you. Writing is deeply personal, and what frees one writer might chain up another. So take what works, leave what doesn’t, and trust yourself a little more than the algorithm.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your story is unlearn the rules and write like no one’s watching.
If you’ve got a piece of writing advice you’ve happily thrown out the window, I’d love to hear it.
Kayce Grant
@book.of.kay
