Everywhere we turn these days there are rules, lists, and _______ easy steps. Not to be outdone, here’s more: Nietzsche is a magnificent read in its entirety. For more advice on writing, see Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 rules for writing with style, Henry Miller’s 11 commandments, Susan Sontag’s synthesized wisdom, Chinua Achebe on the writer’s responsibility and the collected advice of great writers.

BUT. While fun to read, not necessarily helpful. I have found that writers write and write about writing later, usually about what works for them, as with all philosophy. And I have found that my all time favorite is from Maugham. And that’s the truth.