by Anne R. Allen
It’s great for writers to make friends on social media. That’s why we’re there. Networking with other writers is essential to a writing career these days. But it’s good to be aware that, like people on the rest of the internet, writers on social media can be the source of terrible advice as well as good.
I see terrible advice in online writing groups and blog comments all the time. Sometimes I step in and gently disagree. But mostly I don’t. Arguing with people on social media is an exercise in futility.
So I get to express my opinions here. 🙂
Here’s some terrible advice that had me shaking my head in despair.
Terrible Advice #1— Don’t Study Writing: Just Put Butt in Chair and Write!
I call this the Dunning-Kruger school of writing. Writers who are all confidence and no skills give us all a bad name. They make up a good deal of the “slush” in agents’ and editors’ inboxes and bring down the overall quality of indie books.
Would you give that advice to anybody in another field? “
- “Don’t study auto mechanics. Just take apart your car!”
- “Learn to be a great salesman by spouting sales pitches to your cat.”
- “Don’t bother learning a golf swing. Become a great golfer by spending your days hitting a ball with a stick around your backyard.”
Writing in a vacuum means repeating the same mistakes over and over. I’ve met writers who tell me they’ve written 6 or 7 unpublished books. They show me a sample of their writing and it looks like the work of a beginner. Because it is.
If phrases like “point of view” and “character arc” and “story structure” don’t mean anything to you, you need to learn. The way to learn to write is read books and blogs by contemporary writers. Take classes and workshops. Join critique groups. Get as much information as you can.
Note I said “contemporary.” Even if you’ve read every word Jack Kerouac ever wrote or memorized the entire Mickey Spillane oeuvre. What worked 70 years ago will not do well in the contemporary marketplace.
Yes, put butt in chair and write. Then get feedback. Ignore half of it, write some more, and get more feedback. You need teachers and mentors, not just your own ego, to become a successful author.
Terrible Advice #2— New Writers Should Start a Newsletter ASAP
A newsletter keeps you in touch with your fans, But if you don’t yet have any fans, a newsletter does you no good whatsoever.
A new writer needs to be out and about on social media meeting potential readers. Sending newsletters to your Gran’s cats won’t actually sell books.
It makes no sense to spam the people who are least likely to buy your book: the ones who already own it. Keep in mind that sending more newsletters will not sell more copies of the same book to the same people.
A newsletter is especially helpful if you write lots of books very fast. Your emails can announce new releases and provide freebies to your most loyal fans.
But if you’ve only got one title? Spend your time writing another book, not bragging about your fabulous vacation to a bunch of people who already own the book and will soon decide they never want to buy another.
And never send a newsletter to people who haven’t subscribed. It’s illegal as well as annoying.
Terrible Advice # 3 — Don’t Self-Edit. It’s Unprofessional.
I see this terrible advice a lot. It can make any editor cry. Whether you’re self-publishing or going the traditional route, you need to send your editor or agent the cleanest copy you possibly can.
That means you must self-edit before you send off that manuscript to your editor.
If you think apostrophes are decorative bits you can scatter about your manuscript willy-nilly, you’re going to waste a lot of your editor’s time. (And your money!) You can learn basic grammar from a book or online class that is going to cost way less than standard editing fees.
And you really don’t want to pay for the hours it will take your editor to figure out why the characters’ names change every three chapters.
Before you send it off to your editor, self-edit until you think that thing is perfect.
Don’t worry. It isn’t.
Terrible Advice #4 — UnFriend Social Media Followers if They Don’t Stroke your Ego.
These memes have been going around forever.
They say something like: “You’re all a bunch of meanies who aren’t really my friends. If you don’t leave a comment on this thread right now, and post it on your page, I’ll unfriend you immediately.”
How old are you, five?
An author wants MORE followers and friends, not FEWER.
The silent people may be your readers and fans. You really want to get rid of them? Here are some reasons you’re not hearing from them
- They don’t see your posts. The algorithms are quirkier than ever. You only get to see the X-Twitter posts Elmo approves of, and you have no idea who Zuckerberg allows to see your FB or Instagram posts, or why.
- Lurking. They like to read what you have to say, but don’t have much to “share.” So?
- Having a Life. They’re not social media addicts.
Worried about “fake friends?” Be more careful when you accept friend requests. Dismiss the loverboys/gals who drop outrageous flattery into your DMs or lascivious comments (or marriage proposals) on irrelevant posts. Also anybody who asks about your book publicity or “how you get your ideas.” Romance scams are still big, and publicity scams are even bigger, especially in the age of AI.
A Note about Social Media Messaging:
Because DMs are used so often by scammers these days, don’t use them except in emergencies. Or you lost somebody’s email address. And never use them for promotion.
Cute memes or videos belong on your own page, not somebody’s messages. Every time I see a new DM, I cringe. Please, only message people you know, make them short and sweet, and don’t send time-wasters. You may be bored, but your recipient may be working on a deadline, or on a roll with their WIP and only checking social media for 5 minutes for comments. Demanding all of those minutes for yourself and your cat video is not friendly.
Be aware that group DMs are almost never welcome. Group DMs should only be used for quick information or in extreme emergencies when you have a message for the group you can’t put on your page. Like if you’ve had to change your email address because of a stalker. Or if you have a spectacularly diverse sex life and you want to tell all your paramours you’ve got an STD. 🙂
Terrible Advice #5 — Forget Traditional Publishing. It’s on its Way Out.
There are lots of excellent reasons to self-publish, but doing it because you believe the publishing industry is about to collapse is not one of them.
If your writing dreams involve getting reviewed in major news outlets, seeing your book in the windows of big bookstore chains, or being interviewed on NPR, go ahead and try for the traditional publishing route. And don’t let anybody shame you out of it. Those dreams still do come true. New authors are getting contracts every day.
There are fewer agents these days, but there are new ones joining the business all the time. Subscribe to Erica Verillo’s blog for monthly updates on new agents.
And consider smaller presses that don’t require an agent. The Authors Publish newsletter lists vetted small presses that are open to unagented submissions.
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You can find lots of great information about writing and publishing on the Internet. You can also find a lot of nonsense. Learn to tell the difference. There will always be confident, ignorant people who will try to push their ideas on you. They can’t learn because they think they know everything already. You’ll probably find their careers haven’t gone that well.
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What about you, scriveners? What terrible advice have you seen on social media lately? Have you ever followed terrible advice you got in social media groups?
by Anne R. Allen (@annerallen, @annerallen.bsky.social) June 28, 2026
BOOK OF THE WEEK
THE HOUR OF THE MOTH
A light and funny summer beach read!
Ebook and paper book available at Amazon. Paper book also available at Barnes and Noble
When Camilla Randall allows a neighboring business to hold a “Moth Hour” storytelling event in the courtyard of her beachy California bookstore, she finds an inconvenient corpse left in the audience after the event. The deceased, a storyteller famous for his appearances on NPR, turns out to have a shady past — and a lot of enemies. Unfortunately, Camilla’s boyfriend Ronzo is one of them. But Camilla, with the help of her cat Buckingham, solves the mystery of the murder with clues from each of the storytellers’ tales.
Ebook and paper book available at Amazon. Paper book also available at Barnes and Noble
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featured image: by Merakist on Unsplash
Yes, I agree with all five.
I find it amazing how much bad advice is given and how much of it is accepted on Facebook and LinkedIn Writers’ groups.
This reminds of these words by this famous playwright:
“I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.”
― Oscar Wilde
As a sidenote, there is also a lot of bad financial advice thrown out by people who are broke and wilfully accepted by people who are also broke on social media.
In this regard, I have used these words of wisdom in the 25th Anniversary Updated Edition of my flagship retirement book that is distributed by Simon and Schuster will be released in September:
‘I’ve found taking advice from people with money much more beneficial than
listening to the complaints of those without.”
— Benjamin A. Sloan
Ernie–LOVE the Oscar Wilde quote. Perfect for this post. Congrats on the 25th anniversary edition of your book!
You are quite correct on all 5, Anne. Especially the newsletter one. We’re constantly told it’s essential, right from the start!
Vivienne–Thanks. The obsession with newsletters can waste a new writer’s time, and actually drive away potential readers. All our inboxes are overstuffed. We don’t need to read about one more aspiring writer’s fabulous vacation.
Yeah, a newsletter about your book that is coming someday is not a good idea.
Alex–Haha. Yeah. Not exactly a compelling read. If you’re a fiction writer, write fiction. Worry about the newsletter after you have a book or two out.
“You need teachers and mentors, not just your own ego, to become a successful author.” Absolutely! Arrogance plus ignorance equal a toxic combination.
After nearly four decades of writing, I remain a perennial student and continue to learn from those with greater wisdom (like Anne!).
Debbie–40 years! You’ve been at this as long as I have. But you’re right that we need to keep learning. Stagnation doesn’t attract a lot of readers.
Such a good column! I am bewildered by some of the views held by aspiring writers. And what you say about writers who wrote 70 years ago is so apt, Anne. Readers change over time. I know two romance writers who have lost their publishers, due to ‘missing the current market’. What was popular 25 years ago, may not cut it today. Oh, this is a complicated biz!
Melodie–Yes, it’s a complicated business! I’ve heard about romance writers losing publishers because they don’t keep up with the changes in the industry. Unless you write Austen-spinoffs or historicals, romances need a more modern sensibility.
Recently I saw someone claiming you need 1000 subscribers to get published, supposedly this is what agents/editors expect. I am sad that new writers are putting themselves under that kind of pressure. I have yet to start a newsletter, but I have a blog and am active on social media. I think you are the only one saying it’s not necessary. Thank you! Maybe I will start one at some point, but I’m relieved that there’s no rush.
Jenni–I hadn’t heard that “1000 subscribers” thing, but I know there’s a lot of pressure to have a newsletter even before you publish. That’s so ridiculous–who do you send it to? Your mom’s gardening club? A blog is different, and you can start a blog at any time in your career. Any passerby can read it and maybe even subscribe, but you don’t need subscribers to be read. I much prefer a blog to a newsletter, and I know that’s considered old-fashioned. But fashions change quickly, and what’s old comes around again.
As always, great advice Anne. There are no shortcuts. 😍
Debby–Thanks! Yeah, we all have to pay some dues.
Fact! 😍
Oy!
This makes me think of that unfortunate soul who believed all that tripe about the Clintons, the pizza place & the abused kids. After shooting up the place & getting arrested he said something like, “I must have had bad intel.” Yep. Lots of bad intel out there on the good old world wide web.
CS–“Bad Intel” is a great expression. Sometimes it feels as if there’s more bad intel than good. And humans seem predisposed to welcome lies more often than the truth. .
Another great post, Anne!
I recently posted my book cover blurb on Reddit, hoping for some no-nonsense comments on how to improve it. I got those, as well as a completely re-written blurb that someone had fed into an AI model and posted it exactly as the AI had written it. It sounded like a bad movie trailer. Not useful.
I did run my blurb through AI as well as humans, and found it gave me a very useful framework, but the beginning and end product were my own.
Linda–Oh, my! I didn’t go into AI in this post, but it does open a whole new can of worms. That Reddit person who wanted you to use AI to write the blurb may very well get into trouble down the road. If you’re suspected of using AI in any of your writing, you can get cancelled these days. Not a chance worth taking, even if it doesn’t produce obvious “AI slop.”
Always love these kinds of posts, Anne. I have saved on my laptop the one about Writing Rules to Ignore. Priceless.
I was continually urged by a writer friend to start a newsletter. I finally asked her (politely) to stop. I would start an author newsletter when I got that inner “push” that it was the right time.
Published the first book in my fantasy series last August, and only started my newsletter this past February–six months after publication! I’m having a ball with it, enjoying the process, rediscovering how much I also enjoy non-fiction type writing. I have a whopping 108 subscribers, most of whom got there by obtaining my book during a free promo download. And…they’ve stayed on. So, when I announced the release date of the second book of my series, I already have 19 pre-orders. I’m an “easy to please” person, so these stats are golden to me.
I was recently privileged to give a short workshop on Paths to Publication, and my main piece of advice to writers? It’s okay to take in all the advice out there, but follow your heart. Your intuitive sense of who you are as a writer will lead you exactly where you need to be, every step of the way.
Oh, and your blog is one of the resources I gave them. Thank you! I’ve been a fly on the wall for at least fifteen years. Sorry for such a long reply, but so happy to finally have something to contribute.
Debra–Thanks for recommending this blog to your workshop! I do recommend following your heart, as long as your heart isn’t stuck in “I’m the greatest, who needs facts” mode. Starting a newsletter after publishing your first book is still early IMO, but obviously you established a fan base right away, so it totally worked for you. (Starting one before you publish seems like an exercise in futility.) But I do think keeping up our nonfiction writing as well as producing fiction hones our writing skills. We have to write a lot of nonfiction in order to publicize our fiction.
Oh, and thanks for de-lurking. I know we have lots of faithful readers who don’t comment, and we appreciate you, but it is great when we do hear from you.
“Don’t study auto mechanics. Just take apart your car!” Most people do exactly this and it turns out as well as you’d expect LOL Great list Anne