Trying to achieve at least one thing on my list of things to do whilst I am 30 has led me to investigate MA courses in Creative Writing, and to begin trawling the internet for advice on how best to start THE BOOK. So far, I've got THE IDEA and I've even started writing but before I get too engrossed I need to know what the general consensus of opinion about writing in the first person. You see, most of the time and in most of the things I write I use the first person, and not the third person. (I think that's right, but if it's not, basically I mean I like to use I thought rather than she thought.) And then, what about past and present tense? How easy is it to read something written in present tense? Does it sit better if I write: Slowly I walk down to the river, my shoes slipping on the still wet grass or if I write Slowly I walked down to the river, my shoes were slipping on the still wet grass.

Damn, now I'm not even sure if that''s right.

Hmmm.

Anyway....In my search for writing style enlightenment I came across this advice, posted on a board about creativity and specifically about writing a book:

1) You're using too many adjectives.
2) Message is for hacks - if you write the story, the message will be there.
3) "The cat sat on the mat" is a piece of trivia. "The cat sat on the dog's mat" is the beginning of a story.
4) You're still using too many adjectives.
5) You know that first page you wrote which set everything out, introduced the character, set the tone? Delete it. That's what the rest of the novel is for.
6) Don't tell me about stuff. Tell me stuff. Let me do the judging.
7) See that? That's an adjective you don't need. They're like roaches - let one in and you'll see more.
8) Don't sit down in fron of a blank page without a clue what you're going to say, and always leave yourself something easy to do when you stop at night, so that you have a gentle run in in the morning.
9) Not every page has to sing opera. You are allowed to rest for several beats.
10) Discipline.

Good writing about writing advice, and good writing advice, at that.