Henry Miller's - 11 commandments on writing
Henry Valentine Miller, an American novelist, short story writer, and essayist devised and adhered to a stringent daily routine to propel his writing. This list of eleven commandments is mentioned Henry Miller on Writing.
Work on one thing at a time until finished.
Start no more new books, add no more new material to ‘Black Spring.’
Don’t be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, and recklessly on whatever is in hand.
Work according to the Program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
When you can’t create you can work.
Cement a little every day, rather than add new fertilizers.
Keep human! See people, go places, and drink if you feel like it.
Don’t be a draught horse! Work with pleasure only.
Discard the Program when you feel like it, but go back to it the next day. Concentrate, narrow down, and exclude.
Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.
Write first and always. Painting, music, friends, cinema, all these come afterward.
The above points are universal and timeless. They fit in any domain, not just writing. I believe that if one could read between the lines, one would uncover a lot. Following is my commentary on a few of them.
Work according to program and not according to mood. Stop at the appointed time!
Discipline is more important than work. "Work according to program" means following a pre-planned schedule or a system, regardless of fluctuating emotions or moods. "Stop at the appointed time" prevents overworking or burnout. Routine is key to success.
When you can’t create you can work.
There is a difference between work and creation. Working is an action, while creation is an outcome. Work should never stop, while creation has many more moving parts and dependencies.
Start no more new books, add no more new material to ‘Black Spring.’
Miller felt he was done with Black Spring and only then started Tropic of Capricorn. The theme of the novel "The Black Spring" is freedom and self-expression. Its plot is non-linear, and it has a stream-of-consciousness narrative and experimental style. Perhaps what he wanted to remind himself was that there’s a clear “done” point while you are writing a book. Don’t mix the next book in first even when you see connections. More here.
Discard the Program when you feel like it, but go back to it the next day. Concentrate, narrow down, and exclude.
Great people often contradict themselves and that’s fine. This 9th commandment suggests that while it's okay to deviate from a structured program when you're feeling uninspired or need a break, returning to it the next day is crucial to maintaining progress. But as Jodi Picoult said “You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.” So keep writing.
Let me know in the comments sections, which commandment you follow or which resonates with you the most.