Ever write something, read it online and then wince at your own tone? Me too, and I’m really not this authoritarian in real life … but I am with my own writing because my inner reader takes over. Anyway, I was asked to contribute some writing advice to Tor, and for me at least, the topic I have chosen might be the most important facet of my writing these days. It is subjective and also my own shield of protection in what seems to be a blizzard of books showering the planet whenever I log on to FB (including my own). Every time I walk into a library or bookshop, I also think ‘who needs any of my shit?’ So all I can do is try to make my own snow flakes as thick, cold and sharp as possible: hoping they will be the type that land on the surface of an eye and require more than one blink to remove. There are conflicting approaches on this matter, but I was asked for my take, so I gave up the most useful one I know, which is about examining your own work critically before it leaves your desk.
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/06/inner-reader-writing-tips-adam-nevill
