Thread by @JonnyGeller

I’ve been posting some thoughts for new writers submitting to #literaryagents. Here are some final thoughts on #writing:
1)stories must propel us towards an ending, but the end must feel like a new beginning
2)How a story makes you feel is as important as how it makes you think.

3) make sure there is a surprising phrase, a stand-out sentence, a startling image on every page.
4) Take your characters to the limit. It’s easier to withdraw from the cliff’s edge than keep pushing up a hill.

5) every “minor” character has a “major” role in a story you have not chosen to tell yet.
6)Read your dialogue out loud and act out the parts. They are different voices and you need to hear the sounds you have made.

7) Imagine you have lost the first chapter and see how that improves your story.

8)do not feel the need to tie up every loose end. A story must have an afterlife and an invitation to the reader to imagine what happens next.

9)
It requires great effort and skill to write simply. Writing can feel like painting at times, it is layered and builds from strong foundations. If the foundation is full of obstructions, distractions and mess, it will be impossible to layer.

10)
The reader can tell those writers who are enjoying the telling of the story. The energy and joy of writing sparkles off the page - even with those darker or more contemplative novels.
So, enjoy, plan, simplify and leave us with an afterlife!