Cassandra Clare, author of the Shadowhunters books, has written books and characters that grab our hearts and keep us on the edge of our seats. Throughout her celebrated, prolific writing career Cassie Clare has given us some great nuggets of wisdom for aspiring writers, so we’ve rounded them up here! Which piece of advice resonates most with you?
Top Writing Advice from Cassandra Clare
6. Pay Attention
“The fact is, ideas come from all around you, from everything you experience every day. You see a light on in an abandoned building and you think “I wonder who’s in there and what they’re doing?”The answer to that is an idea for a story. Whether it’s a good story or not is up to you.”
5. Get to Work
“Writing is hard work, work that relies on learning and applying a varied set of skills, and finding out what those skills are, learning and practicing them, is always better than waiting around for inspiration.”
4. Focus on Your Characters
“Don’t worry too much about whether people love or hate your characters. Worry about them finding the characters interesting and compelling.What you want is for people to think ‘This character is super compelling’ and want to follow them on their journey.”
3. Find the Fun
“But the thing is, just because something is hard doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. There’s fun to be had even in the slogging bits. Because inspiration, when it does come, doesn’t come from outside of you. It comes from the work that you do, from the process itself. So the truth is, you don’t need to be inspired to write. But you do need to write to be inspired.”
2. Remember, You’ve Got This!
“It’s okay to accept that rejection of a manuscript —a story, a novel, a poem —really hurts.You will find the right home. It’s just a matter of time.”