Many people have basic rules for writing, and this may copy some of those rules, but I’m sure others of mine are unique. Here’s what I try to live by. (These rules are a work in progress, and will be added to…)

1. Write – You’re not a writer if you don’t do this. And there are 100 excuses not to do it, but you need to ignore those and just… write.
2. Take all advice with a grain of salt – Except for #1, all writing advice given worked for the advice giver, but may not work for you. (Even the rest of this list.) Learn to recognize this.
3. You are allowed to suck – If you allow yourself to write without worrying about being perfect, you will fret less and learn more about the craft, therefore improving, therefore sucking less.
4. Ideas are cheap – it’s the work that’s hard- don’t hold tight to your ideas, never talking about them, never writing them down. Just get it out.
5. They will not kill you and pack you in salt – meaning that you will get rejected, you will survive it, and you will keep writing. The fear of rejection or critique sometimes makes sending stuff out paralyzing. Just remember you will not be killed. Or packed in salt. Or eaten.
6. Don’t be an ass - The Internet is a very public place. More public than we think. If you complain about agents, editors, critics, or even readers, online, THEY WILL HEAR YOU. Don’t be an ass. (MC Frontalot and Wil Wheaton have also explored this in slightly more NSFW words. But not much more. It’s a good song, I endorse it heartily.)

As discussed in ISBW #117. More rules coming in future episodes!