Thread by @BrianNiemeier

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1 New writers are far more likely to be influenced by movies, video games & TV shows than books.

That's a problem because going in unfamiliar with the art form sets the difficulty higher. And finding success as a writer is already hard enough.

How does being well-read help?

2 You wouldn't try being a professional musician if you don't listen to music.

You wouldn't become a mechanic if you don't drive.

If you rush into writing books without a basic grasp of the form's strengths & limitations, you won't realize your potential.

What to do ...

3 It's best to read 200 books in & out of your genre before you start.

Twice

If it'll take you a while to catch up, here's 1 writing tip I can give you to massage your visual media influences ...

4 Not only do many new writers rely on movie, TV & vidya influences, they don't know how to manage them.

So you get characters & action set pieces lifted from Bleach or The Matrix with the serial numbers showing.

No, you're not getting one over on anyone. Readers know.

So ...

5 What you do is take that badass gunfight from Heat or that manga waifu you crushed on in HS & take it sideways.

I don't mean subvert it.

"Subverting expectations" is a dead meme.

So add a pinch, turn or twist to the sequence: a new "therefore" or "but"

6 To do that, ask "What if?"

What if Jack flat out missed Lo Pan?

What if Luke hadn't left Yoda to save Han?

What if Sephiroth was a figment of Cloud's imagination all along?

Outline where the turn takes you & see how it writes.

For more ...

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