Neil Gaiman’s Timeless Advice to Aspiring Writers
‘Tell your story. Don’t try and tell the stories that other people can tell.’
I have a confession. I’ve never read a single book by Neil Gaiman.
But I have read authors that Gaiman says are among his major writing influences. Writers like Mary Shelley (1797–1851), who during ‘The Year Without A Summer’ in 1816, began writing what today is viewed as the first science fiction novel, Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus.
Or writers like Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018), whose ‘Carrier Bag Theory’ of writing calls on writers to not “let ourselves become part of the killer story,” but instead create “life stories.” That is, stories that don’t end, but always lead to new stories and new adventures.
While I haven’t read Neil Gaiman’s work before, I know him as an eloquent speaker about the writing process and the pursuit of a writing career. The advice he gives in talks, conferences, panels, and interviews always leave me inspired to write (and always feeling a little guilty I haven’t read him yet).
Below are excerpts I transcribed from three interviews with Neil Gaiman where he offers practical and unconventional advice to aspiring writers.
