Comment Policy

I don’t like censorship, but I dislike wasting my time even more. All comments on this site are moderated. If you leave a comment that promotes the myths of writing, I will delete it.

The popular but completely ridiculous notion that any function of the conscious, critical mind of a fiction writer or a collective of fiction writers or of so-called artificial intelligence is necessary to any stage of writing fiction is a lie, period. It was most likely started and is definitely propagated by those who rely on budding writers’ self-confidence issues and want to sell nonfiction books promoting the myths.

The less confident they can make you feel, the more bullshi* they can feed you disguised as writing advice. If you’re satisfied with that, by all means, think, plot, plan, revise, seek critical input, rewrite and polish to your heart’s content. Take up the mantra: Whatever works for you is fine. Just don’t investigate the definition of “works” too closely.

To the best of my knowledge, this little website is the only place in the entire internet where you will hear regularly that I believe in you, that you DON’T have to revise, seek critical input, rewrite, and polish, and that doing so will actually harm your fiction.

If me trying to instill self-confidence in you and if that simple, clean, clear message grates on your nerves, maybe you should check in with yourself. Maybe you aren’t quite as certain of all those myths and safety nets as you thought you were.

Then again, if you insist on believing you personally need to plan, plot, outline or think your way to a story, that’s fine. If you believe you have to revise, seek critical input from others, then rewrite and polish, that’s fine too.

In fact, if you believe you have to stand on your head, spit BBs, and invoke the Egyptian God of Scribblers in order to write fiction, that makes as much sense as the other myths so more power to you. As I said at the top, whatever works for you is fine. What do I care?

But don’t feel you have to hang around here. Nobody’s twisting your arm. Plenty of writers’ advice sites will welcome your mimicry, and this silly little website is worth precisely what you pay for it.