Writing Tip 10 is a bit of an observation, but it changes the way you approach writing. This is what art is really about.
This is the tip: effective writing is about creating a whole other world.
So, if you’re writing a particular type of fiction, but it’s really true of all of them, you’re creating another world, just like a work of art or a movie. The Avengers movies or a Hallmark drama— they’re just different worlds. They have rules about how their worlds work. You’re doing the same thing when you engage in writing even an essay, but especially in fiction. You’re creating an entire universe, a world that has its own rules and holds together in a certain way, and it operates a certain way. We want to go visit that world with you, that’s why we read books.
You don’t need to feel obligated to make your world exactly match this one. Don’t worry about people who say, “Oh, nobody could really do that. Superman couldn’t really fly.” Well, of course not. He probably couldn’t see through walls, and he probably didn’t need to wear glasses when he was Clark Kent. It’s his world. Just understand that effective writing is about creating a whole other world. Don’t be afraid to just start writing; make your own world. It’s your world you’re creating when you write, and I’d love to visit it someday.
-Dr. Fred Ray Lybrand
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