Fantasy authors offer handy tips on writing for Shared Worlds project

By John Freeman on September 18, 2013

Neil Gaiman’s Handy Writing tips, featured on Shared Worlds.

When it comes to writing (or indeed, any form of creativity) some days, you just need a little nudge… a simple reminder that you’re not alone on this path you’ve chosen. Maybe you simply need to know that someone else has been there before–behind a different keyboard, holding a different pen.

For Shared Worlds 2013, run by Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, organisers asked some of speculative fiction’s finest artists, editors, and writers – including comics writer and author Niel Gaiman – to write advice on their own hands and send them a picture.

“Write. Finish things. Keep writing,” urges Neil, while SF author Joe Haldeman suggests “Don’t ‘write what you know.’ Make up something new!”

“Write what you would love to read,” urges Jody Lynn Nye. “Finish what you begin to write. Your voice is uniquely yours and we are all waiting to hear it.”

You can see all the images here on the Shared Worlds web site, or view each image spearately using the links below. There’s some great tips!

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John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.