Ten Things Most Writers Should Probably Think About

By Shannie Rao

Saladin Ahmed, screengrab from PowerUp: Marvel Writer, Saladin Ahmed Event

On Friday May 7, the Creative Writing Program rounded out its 2020–2021 events with a visit from Saladin Ahmed: a writer who works on comics for Marvel, among other projects. In a warm and energetic presentation, Ahmed shared a bit about his experience as a writer as well as his advice for young writers (while being sure to make it clear that he does not believe in universal advice).

You can read Saladin Ahmed’s advice below:

There’s no such thing as a universal story. No such thing as a voice from nowhere. We write from specific personal and communal places. What you grew up eating, the shape of your nose, the languages you sing in, who you’re attracted to, who you’re repulsed by, whether you had to work a job in high school, the texture of your hair, whether you had to work a job in college, the number of times you’ve had a gun pulled on you, the number of times you’ve been harassed on the street, the movies your parents watched, whether you walk without a wheelchair, how many siblings you have.

All of these make us a writer. And that’s what makes writing advice a challenge: Our work enters the world along hundred different paths and good directions along one route make no sense along another.  Giving advice can never be one size fits all. So I’m not going to give you advice per se. I’m going to give you a list of ten things that most writers should probably think about.

1) THINK ABOUT YOUR FEELINGS: Be honest with yourself about what you want emotionally from writing and protect it.

2) THINK ABOUT OTHERS’ FEELINGS: Work to make sure your writing and your career aren't harming others.

3) THINK ABOUT VOICE: Honor the voices that inform yours and don't let yourself be typecast.

4) THINK ABOUT STORIES: How do yours fit in with those that have come before?

5) THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE’S BODIES: How are you using other people (Other people) in your work?

6) THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN BODY: Are you honoring your physical truth when you write? Are you getting sleep and breathing consciously?

7) THINK ABOUT FORM: Try writing romance if you don’t normally. Try painting the story you want to tell if you only work with words.

8) THINK ABOUT PRODUCTION: How is a publisher or studio or website going to bring your work to readers?

9) THINK ABOUT MONEY: Whether it’s poetry or film, learn how money is made in your discipline. Plan your own financial life as best you can.

10) THINK ABOUT TIME: Try to find a writing practice that works for you. Manage your time as mindfully as you can.

No list of pointers or truths can change the fact that this is a tough path. But in writing as in life what we can do is share what wisdom we've earned with each other and when we draw on previous travelers’ notes as we look to the road ahead and maybe then it doesn’t look quite so scary.

You can watch the entire event here: https://fordham.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=5ccfaedb-9d12-493b-860a-ad210186e1e3