Writing a book on … writing advice?

Have you ever wondered if the book you’re thinking of writing is the right book? Have you thought of writing a book about writing? Steven Savage is a multitalented guy, with experience in fields as diverse as project management, blogging, world building, comic books, and many more. He’s joined us today with some great advice if you’re considering writing a book about writing.

6 min readSep 22, 2016

I’m working on some books on writing advice called Way With Worlds. Based on columns I’d written some fifteen years ago, then rewrote, they’re guides to world-building for creators of fiction and games. Though I’m sure such guides will be welcome, I’m not exactly the kind of person you’d expect to be doing a writing advice book.

I’m a Project Manager, a man of charts and organization. I’ve written fiction but not for a while; most of my work is nonfiction. I run a website of writing tools and my friends use me as a sounding board, but I’m not exactly the first person you’d expect to be writing a guide on writing. With all those books on writing out there, what can I, who is hardly typical, say about the craft?

You might be in a similar state, with ideas brewing in your head of creating a book of advice for fellow writers. That concept is poking at you to be written, to become real, yet you balk. You’re stopped because you think to yourself that you really shouldn’t do that book because there are so many reasons not to.

There are so many books out there on writing already.

You don’t fit your idea of someone who should give writing advice.

Others have more experience than you.

Each and every one of these things is true. Each and every one one of these is also the reason you should be doing a writing advice book.

Let’s take a look at what’s stopping you — and why it not only shouldn’t stop you, but is the very reason that your book should be written.

There Are Too Many Books On Writing

A trip to a bookstore on or offline will yield a wealth of writing advice books. It seems that there are always new books out there providing guidance to aspiring and established authors. Soon enough those books take their place among the plethora of other books out there and most are forgotten.

After a while a lot of these books seem the same, falling into a few categories — plotting, structure, marketing, and so on.

Writing advice books are a lot like job advice books; they seem to say most of the same things over and over again. There’s not a lot out there that’s different or stands out.

The fact that many of these books seem very similar is understandable; good advice bears repeating, and good advice is often helpful when found in an up-to-date form. Again, it’s a lot like job search advice: common knowledge with new twists or slight updates.

However, this plethora of advice books about writing tells you two things.

First, there is always room for new guides for writers. Your book may not become a timeless classic (though there’s always the chance), but there’s no reason to think there’s not room out there. If you’re not writing an advice book, you can be assured someone else will in good time. There’s certainly enough of them.

Secondly, if the books often seem the same, that might be your reason to do your own unique contribution even if you don’t seem like the right person. Which brings us to the next doubt…

Not Everyone Is You And That’s Good

As mentioned, I’m not the person that you would picture for an author of a writing advice book. My unusual and atypical experiences don’t make me seem “the type” and there’s a chance you think the same of yourself. You don’t fit your idea of someone who should give advice on writing, especially in book form.

Which may, in some cases, be exactly why you should be giving writing advice and why a writing advice book might be in your future.

Consider your unique experiences, perspectives, mistakes, and triumphs. Maybe you’re not wealthy but wrote successful free online fiction. Maybe you created an absolutely dismal book whose bad reception provided many painful and useful lessons. Maybe you did something totally bizarre in the world of writing that no one else would have tried and it may not have sold, but the reactions were amazing.

You’re unique as a writer. That means your experiences and insights might be unique enough that people are going to find it useful — especially in a sea of similar books.

The advice you give may not find the widest audience, but it may be worth it to reach out to the audience that needs it. How many times have you wanted someone just like you to give you advice, or craved some wisdom on that unique writing issue you faced?

You’ll never know until you try. In fact, trying makes you more of a writer no matter what experience you have . . .

Experience Isn’t Always A Barrier

The final thing that may stop many of us from writing an advice book is a lack of experience. We may be experienced in writing, but we feel we’re not as famous as other writers, or as knowledgeable, or as successful. We figure we have nothing to say because we’re not them.

There’s two parts to why this lack of experience isn’t a reason not to write down your writing advice — and why you should consider it.

First, you may be inexperienced, but you still have your experiences.

Much like saying there’s too many advice books, this worry distracts from the truth that we have unique experiences. We do have things to share.

You may lack experience compared to others, but that doesn’t mean the experience you have isn’t valuable.

Your own inexperience gives you a perspective that will fade in time. Every year, every book, every article slowly distances you from who you are now and the insights you share. It may be worth saving the wisdom you have now before later wisdom supplants it — because you’ll lose the perspective you have now.

Secondly, writing is learning. Writing anything makes you more of a writer.

If you write that advice book to share your wisdom (however obscure), you become that much more of a writer. That publication, from a free online guide to an elaborately formatted self-published book, is one more step forward as a writer. You’ll learn a bit more and establish more credibility just by doing it.

Besides, if the book turns out to be no so great you can always put out a second edition later. That’s part of being a writer.

Time To Do It Your Way

So if down deep you’ve felt it’s time to write that advice book for your fellow writers, there’s no reason to stop yourself. There’s almost certainly a niche, you have unique experiences to share, and it will help you grow as a writer. Fear is no reason to stop yourself from trying.

If you find that your advice doesn’t fit a book? Fine. Maybe you make some advice sheets for your writer’s group. Maybe you do a free online book. Maybe you help teach a class. Share your wisdom first.

Those books I’m writing on Worldbuilding? They started as a series of columns I wrote some sixteen years ago, then rewrote, and turned into a book.

You never know when you have an advice book in you. Mine took sixteen years to come out.

What do you think? Will you take on the challenge of writing your own book of writing advice? Let us know in the comments!

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