#WEPFF GUEST POST - WRITING ADVICE FROM PATRICK HATT

Patrick Hatt, the winner of the WEP Halloween/Constellations Challenge volunteered, after we twisted his arm to write a guest post on Writing Advice. The Rhyme King doesn't disappoint!

Take it away Pat!

After winning, the first thing they asked me to do was work. How’s that for a prize? But is it really work? That question you’ll get a lot when it comes to writing and anyone with half a brain knows that it is. Also those in the know realize you could probably make more money robbing the nearest poor box, but you’d go to jail for that, so best to avoid it and keep writing.

Wait a moment. Aren’t I here to give advice? Wasn’t there some in there? Hmmm, I guess I will have to try harder. Maybe I’ll go with the tried and true, which I have used as well, just write. There is your advice for the day. If you want to write, just write. That is some helpful, isn’t it? I could stop right here and my work would be done. But now I’m on a roll so I’ll just write some more and show you how easy it is.

I know you are thirsty for more advice. So let’s turn our attention to marketing……… One year later I have finally come back to this post. These are the first words I’ve written in a year. Wow, isn’t marketing fun? When you learn the secret to it, could you drop me a line? I know that makes work for you but I spent a year doing it to try and give advice before returning to this post. That makes up for it, right?

Wow, and I still made the post date on time. Some time travel stuff going on right there. I’ll give you the lottery numbers for a cut of the profit. This just writing thing is sure going down many a path. Is the road to writing paved with good intentions? Or would that be good imagination? The voices in my head are still arguing about that one, so we’ll move on.

On to what? On to editing. Like how well I edited this. Don’t you see how many times I used “so” and the like. That is some stellar editing right there. Hey, at least I barely use seemed and just anymore. But it seems you just made me use them there. Twice! I’m on a roll. I used them five more times since then but I edited them out, so you’d never know. I caught myself and then spilled the beans to you. I hope such beans don’t make you toot.

What was next? Oh yes, time. Time is a fickle thing, even with time travel. You have to make time, find time, create time, have free time, lunch time, supper time, bathroom time, breakfast time, bed time…Where was I? Oh yes. You need the time to just write. How can you get that? Plan ahead like the cat. Just write like him. Just do it like Nike says. Write at work like her. Don’t sleep like them. Play hooky like they. The dreaded they must really be in the know. After all, they get blamed for everything.

I bet by now you think I’m a nut, if you didn’t realize that before this. Do you hear me disagreeing with you? Nope. Do you hear me telling you what to do? Nope. Because I’m typing this so you can’t hear me and I can’t hear you. Just saying. Why is that? If I must, I shall quote the cat.

Pfffffffffffft is the only real advice I will give. Why? Because like everything else out there, people are different. Have different likes, dislikes, lives, etc. So why does anyone think one writing style or way to do it fits all? You do what is best for you. Take all the tips and advice and the like and mold them to your writing style and life. Don’t worry that a rhyming cat posts every day or a person has 50 novels while you have 2. Do what you can do and damn the rest. Why? Because then you will enjoy it more and want to keep on keeping on. If you keep comparing yourself to others, you’ll never get to where you want to be for you and you may get discouraged easier and quit. You want to write, so use the “just write” advice, but just write how and what works for you. That way you will truly do what needs to be done, which is, keep on keeping on. And that is the best advice I can give for anything in life. No matter the crap, you have to push through and do what is best for you.

I could keep on keeping on but I ranted enough. So I will end this with far less class and go out saying I hope you keep on keeping on like my little rhyming ass.

Enjoy life, forget the strife.

***

Thank you, Pat, 

Great advice. I'm still smiling!

You can follow Pat's humorous musings on his Blog It's Rhyme Time 

If you're curious about the December Challenge

here's a hint!

Please note that due to the holiday's early posting is fine. 

But our goal is to change all challenges to a one day posting schedule.

Sign Up on December 1st

Post no later than December 21st!

The Utopian Dreams Challenge is all about that secret desire, something you spend valuable time daydreaming about, even talking about, and secretly planning for, i.e. that vacation, dream job, or a move across country or to a new country that you've built up in your mind to be idealistic, perfect, – Utopian.   
                                

When we create the idyllic dream, we seldom see the what-if's, the downside, the unknown. Reality is rarely ideal. 

Want to know more? CLICK HERE!

Please help spread the word for our December challenges. Copy and paste the badges onto your blogs. Share via social media. Encourage your writer friends to take part.

Tweet One of These

A WEP Guest post by Pat Hatt – Writing Advice @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2016/11/wepff-guest-post-writing-advice-from.html #WEPFF

A WEP Flash Fiction Challenge - the prompt is Utopian Dreams @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2016/11/wepff-guest-post-writing-advice-from.html #WEPFF

What's your Utopian Dream? It comes true - is it a dream or a nightmare? @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2016/11/wepff-guest-post-writing-advice-from.html #WEPFF