These writing tips never get old. We particularly love: Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue. The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in.

Get an accountant, abstain from sex and similes, cut, rewrite, then cut and rewrite again – if all else fails, pray. Inspire by Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing, we asked authors for their personal dos and don’ts

 

1 Never open a book with weather.

2 Avoid prologues.

3 Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.

Read the rest of the 10 writing rules at…

Source: Ten rules for writing fiction | Books | The Guardian