The Best Writing Advice From The World’s Most Famous Authors

Looking for expert writing advice? We’ve put together a comprehensive list of writing tips and insights from the world’s most famous authors.

Over the years, we have featured many posts on the advice famous writers give. We’ve enjoyed collecting them and writing about them.

And now, links to these pearls of wisdom are available in one bumper post.

Scroll through the list to read what literary icons like William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, and Ernest Hemingway have had to say about writing.

The Best Writing Advice From The World’s Most Famous Authors

1. A.L. Kennedy’s 10 Rules for Writing Fiction
2. Agatha Christie: 7 Excellent Plotting Tips
3. Alfred Hitchcock: 6 Things Hitchcock Can Teach You About Writing
4. Alice Adams’s Pattern For Writing A Short Story
5. Amitava Kumar’s 10 Rules For Writing
6. Andrew Motion‘s 10 Rules For Writers
7. Anne Enright‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
8. Anne Lamott On Life And Writing
9. Anne Sexton: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
10. Annie Proulx’s 5 Rules For Good Writing
11. Anthony Horowitz’s 4 Steps To Creating A Suspenseful Adventure
12. Anton Chekhov’s 6 Rules For Writing Fiction
13. Arthur Hailey: 5 Bits Of Writing Advice
14. Barbara Kingsolver’s Top 8 Writing Tips
15. Bernard Cornwell: 6 Writing Tips
16. Beatrix Potter: 5 Things Beatrix Potter Can Teach You About Writing
17. Bill Watterson: 6 Writing Lessons
18. Billy Wilder‘s 10 Tips For Writing Screenplays
19. Blake Bailey’s 5 Tips For Writers
20. Bret Easton Ellis’s 2 Bits Of Writing Advice
21. C. S. Lewis’s 5 Rules For Writers
22. Carl Hiaasen On Writing
23. Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s 10 Captivating Quotes About Books
24. Cathy Hopkins’ Top 10 Writing Tips
25. Charles Bukowski: 6 Bits Of Writing Advice
26. Charles Bukowski: So You Want To Be A Writer? 
27. Charles Dickens: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice From His Works
28. Charles Dickens: The Original Self-Published Success Story
29. Cheryl Strayed’s Advice For Beginner Writers
30. Chinua Achebe: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
31. Chris Bohjalian: 10 Tips To Help Writers Stretch Their Fiction
32. Chris d’Lacey’s Top 10 Writing Tips
33. Chuck Palahniuk: 13 Writing Tips
34. Colm Tóibín’s 10 Rules for Writing Fiction
35. Colson Whitehead: 10 Bits Of Writing Advice
36. Cormac McCarthy: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
37. Cornelia Funke’s Top 10 Tips For Writing Ghost Stories
38. Cory Doctorow: Sensible Writing Tips
39. Curtis Sittenfeld’s 5 Steps For Writing A Short Story
40. Dashiel Hammett’s 24 Rules For Detective Writers
41. David Baldacci’s 5 Top Writing Tips
42. David Hare’s 10 Rules for Writers
43. David Ogilvy: Tips On Writing
44. Dean Koontz On Overcoming Self-Doubt
45. Dennis Lehane’s 10 Rules For Writers
46. Diana Gabaldon’s 3 Rules For Writing Fiction
47. Don Delillo’s Writing Guide
48. Dorothy Allison’s 5 Top Writing Tips
49. Dorothy Parker: On Writing
50. Douglas Adams: 10 Tips For Writers
51. Douglas Adams On The Difficulties Of Writing
52. Dr Seuss On Writing
53. e.e. cummings – on being nobody-but-yourself
54. E.B. White: Hang On To Hope
55. E.B. White On Writing
56. Edgar Allan Poe: 5 Tips For Writing Vivid Fiction
57. Edith Wharton On Writing Fiction
58. Elizabeth George’s Writing Process
59. Elizabeth Strout’s Writing Process
60. Elmore Leonard’s 11 Rules For Writing Fiction
61. Ernest Hemingway: 27  Gems On Writing
62. Ernest Hemingway: How He Changed The Writing Landscape
63. Ernest Hemingway To F. Scott Fitzgerald: Writing Advice Between Friends
64. Esther Freud’s Seven Rules For Writing
65. Eudora Welty: 8 Bits Of Writing Advice
66. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 7 Tips For Writing Fiction
67. Gail Carson Levine’s 7 Rules For Writing
68. Geoff Dyer‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
69. George Orwell’s 6 Questions And 6 Rules For Writing
70. George R. R. Martin’s Writing Advice
71. George Saunders Writing Tips
72. Graham Greene’s Writing Process
73. Guillermo del Toro: 9 Bits Of Writing Advice From 
74. H. G. Wells‘ Writing Advice
75. Harlan Coben On Writing Suspense
76. Haruki Murakami On Writing
77. Helen Dunmore’s 9 Rules For Writing Fiction
78. Henry Miller’s 11 Writing Commandments
79. Hilary Mantel‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
80. Ian Fleming: 5 Writing Secrets
81. Ian McEwan: 7 Writing Observations
82. Ian Rankin’s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
83. Iris Murdoch: 5 Bits Of Writing Advice
84. Isaac Asimov: 6 Bits Of Writing Advice
85. Isaac Bashevis Singer’s 3 Characteristics A Work Of Fiction Must Possess
86. Isabel Allende’s Writing Process
87. J.R.R. Tolkien’s 10 Tips For Writers
88. Jack Kerouac’s 30 Rules for Writing
89. Jaime Lowe’s 8 Rules For Writing Memoirs
90. James Joyce: 5 Bits Of Writing Advice
91. James Patterson: 7 Invaluable Lessons For Writers
92. James Rollins’ 3 Tips For Writers
93. Jane Austen: 6 Lessons On Love, Life & Writing
94. Jane Austen: How Did She Learn To Write?
95. Jane Hirshfield: Why She Writes
96. Janet Evanovich’s 12 Tips For Writing A Query Letter
97. Janet Evanovich: Making Time To Write: 4 Tips
98. Janet Fitch’s Top 10 Writing Tips
99. Jeanette Winterson’s 10 Rules for Writing
100. Jeffery Deaver‘s 10 Writing Tips
101. Jeffrey Archer’s Top 10 Writing Tips
102. Jennifer Egan’s Advice For Young Writers
103. Jennifer McMahon’s Top Writing Tips
104. Jennifer Niven’s Top 12 Writing Tips
105. Jodi Picoult’s Top 3 Writing Tips
106. Joe Eszterhas’s 10 Golden Rules of Screenwriting
107. John Grisham’s 8 Do’s And Don’ts For Popular Fiction
108. John Irving: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
109. John Steinbeck’s 6 Writing Tips
110. John van de Ruit’s Top 10 Writing Tips
111. Jonathan Franzen‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
112. Jorge Luis Borges‘s 6 Bits of Writing Advice
113. Joseph Finder’s 8 Tips For Writers
114. Joy Williams’ 8 Essential Attributes Of The Short Story
115. Joyce Carol Oates’ 7 Rules For Writing
116. Judy Blume: 6 Bits Of Writing Advice
117. Judy Reeves’s 10 Daily Habits That Make a (Good) Writer
118. Jules Verne’s Writing Process
119. Kate DiCamillo’s 6 Writing Tips
120. Kathy Reichs‘s 5 Bits Of Writing Advice
121. Kazuo Ishiguro – 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
122. Keith Waterhouse’s 12 Ground Rules for Writers
123. Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Writing Tips (& A Letter Of Advice For The Future)
124. Kurt Vonnegut Explains The Shapes Of Stories
125. Kurt Vonnegut On Making Your Soul Grow
126. Laini Taylor: 5 Really Useful Writing Tips
127. Lev Grossman’s 7 Tips For Writers
128. Liane Moriarty’s Writing Tips
129. Lisa Genova’s 6 Rules Of Research
130. Lisa Genova’s 10 Rules Of Writing
131. Lisa Jewell’s 12 Writing Tips
132. Louis L’Amour: 6 Bits Of Writing Advice
133. Louis Sachar On Writing
134. Margaret Atwood‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
135. Marian Keyes’ 3 Tips For New Writers
136. Marisha Pessl Answers 5 Questions On Writing
137. Mark Twain: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
138. Martin Amis’s 16 Rules For Writers
139. Mary Hoffman’s Top 10 Rules For Fantasy Writers
140. Mary Karr’s Memoir Checklist To Stave Off Dread
141. Mary Oliver: 7 Bits Of Poetry Advice
142. Max Brooks’ 5 Writing Tips
143. Maya Angelou’s Writing Process
144. Meg Cabot’s Advice For Young Writers
145. Michael Moorcock’s 10 Rules for Writers
146. Michael Morpurgo’s 10 Rules For Writers
147. Mickey Spillane: 6 Bits of Writing Advice
148. Naomi Alderman: 9 Bits Of Writing Advice
149. Neil Gaiman: How To Become A Writer – The Easy Way
150. Neil Gaiman – On Making Good Art
151. Neil Gaiman’s 8 Rules For Writers
152. Nicholas Evans On Why Writing Is Like Going On A Hike
153. Nietzsche’s 10 Rules For Writers
154. Nora Roberts On How She Writes
155. Norman Mailer – 6 Writing Tips
156. Octavia E. Butler’s Writing Advice
157. Orson Scott Card On Building An Audience
158. Oscar Wilde: 10 Quotable Tips On Writing
159. P.D. James On Writing
160. Patricia Hampl On Writing Memoirs
161. Patricia Highsmith: 5 Bits Of Writing Advice
162. Patrick Ness’s 5 Main Tips For Fiction Writers
163. Paulo Coelho: 10 Writing Tips
164. Peter James’ 7 Top Writing Tips
165. Philip Pullman: On Writer’s Block
166. Philip Roth’s Writing Process
167. Philippa Gregory‘s Writing tips
168. Pixar’s 22 Storytelling Rules
169. Proust’s Questionnaire – 35 Questions Every Character Should Answer
170. R.L. Stine’s 10 Tips For Curing Writer’s Block
171. Raymond Carver: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
172. Richard Ford‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
173. Richard Osman: 6 Bits Of Writing Advice
174. Roald Dahl: 7 Writing Tips
175. Robert A. Heinlein’s 5 Rules For Writers
176. Roddy Doyle’s 10 Rules For Writers
177. Rose Tremain’s 10 Rules for Writers
178. Ruth Rendell On Writing Suspense
179. Sarah Waters‘ 10 Rules For Writers
180. Sebastian Faulks On Finding Excuses Not To Write
181. Simon Scarrow’s 6 Tips For Aspiring Writers
182. Stan Lee: 6 Superhero Writing Tips
183. Stephen King: 10 Bits Of Writing Advice
184. Stephen King: 13 Writing Lessons From On Writing
185. Stephen King’s Muse Is A Basement Kind Of A Guy
186. Sue Grafton’s Writing Process
187. Sue Monk Kidd’s 10 Most Helpful Writing Tips
188. Susan Sontag: 7 Pearls Of Writing Wisdom
189. Tamora Pierce On How To Deal With Writer’s Block
190. Terry McMillan: 20 Writing Tips
191. Tess Gerritsen’s Writing Process
192. Toni Morrison: 6 Things You Can Learn
193. Trudi Canavan’s 3 Tips To Improve Your Writing
194. Truman Capote: 7 Bits Of Writing Advice
195. V.S. Naipaul’s 7 Rules For Beginner Writers
196. Virginia Woolf: 10 Writing Tips
197. Vladimir Nabokov’s 3 Qualities For A Major Writer
198. Walt Disney: 7 Tips For Writers
199. Warren Ellis’s 3 Questions To Find A Story
200. Wilbur Smith: 6 Bits Of Writing advice
201. Will Self‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction
202. William Faulkner: 10 Things He Had To Say About Writing
203. William Goldman‘s 10 Commandments On Writing
204. William Safire’s 33 Fumblerules Of Grammar
205. Zadie Smith‘s 10 Rules For Writing Fiction

General Posts:

1. 7 Bits of Editing Advice from Famous Writers
2. 7 Tips From Famous Writers On Getting Started
3. 7 Tips To Help You Write Like Neil Gaiman
4. 10 Elementary Tips For Writers From Sherlock Holmes
5. 15 Authors On The Best Writing Advice They Received
6. 17 Things You Probably Never Knew About Arthur Conan Doyle
7. Agatha Christie – Analysing The Best-Selling Novelist Of All Time
8. Anton Chekhov’s 8 Criteria That Define Civilised People
9. Billy Collins’s 6 Elements Of A Poem
10. Billy Collins’s 6 Pleasures Of Poetry
11. Brandon Sanderson’s 3 Rules For Magic
12. David Foster Wallace – 3 Takeaways For Writers
13. Emily Dickinson – How to use her 4 Super Simple Writing Techniques
14. Ernest Hemingway – How To Write Like Hemingway With These 10 Easy Tips
15. Frank Herbert: The Greatest Fictional World Builders
16. George Lucas: The Greatest Fictional World Builders
17. Hilary Mantel & Writing Historical Fiction
18. Jackie Collins: 5 Bestselling Storytelling Lessons
19. Janet Burroway’s 3 Principles Of Effective Narrative Setting
20. Janet Burroway’s 4 Aspects Of Narrative Time
21. J.K. Rowling: The Greatest Fictional World Builders
22. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Greatest Fictional World Builders
23. Lewis Carroll: 10 Things Writers Can Learn
24. Lord Byron: 6 Lessons On How To Make Others Swoon With Words
25. Neil Gaiman – 7 Tips to Write Like Him
26. Robin Robb: The Greatest Fictional World Builders
27. Rudyard Kipling’s 7 Rules For Life In London
28. Terry Pratchett: The Greatest Fictional World Builders
29. The Beat Generation: 6 Bits Of Writing Advice
30. The Fascinating Writing Habits of 31 Famous Authors
31. Why Thomas Harris‘s ‘The Silence Of The Lambs’ Is The Thriller Writer’s Bible

We hope this advice from the world’s most famous authors inspires you to write.

by Amanda Patterson

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