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Sun Tzu, so far as we know, never wrote a novel.
Nor did he live in L.A., which makes it nearly certain
he never tried his hand at a screenplay.
What we do know is that the author of The Art of
War was a Chinese general writing sometime between
400–320 B.C. who recorded his aphorisms based upon
actual experience in the fi eld.
The approach to war in Sun Tzu’s day was a chaotic
mess. By bringing orderly principles to bear, he enabled
generals to fi nally achieve clarity in planning for battle.
The publishing business is a messy affair, too. There
are many obstacles on the way to publication—including
one’s own mental state—that it seems daunting and down-
right hostile out there.
What I want to do with this collection is offer you
some helpful observations based on more than twenty
years in the fi ction writing game. This is not a compre-
hensive “how to” on fi ction. I’ve written two other books
in that form. Rather, I seek to fi ll in some “cracks” in
what is normally taught in writing books and classes.
Introducion
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I still read books on writing. My philosophy is if I
fi nd just one thing of value, even if it’s only a new take
on something I already know, it’s worth it. Anything that
helps me become a better writer, I want to fi nd. That’s
the spirit I hope permeates this text.
Because I am, like you, a writer. We understand each
other. We are not like other people. We are, in fact, piti-
able wretches.
Let me explain.
Back in the 1940s, a novelist named Jack Woodford gave
advice to young writers, among which was the following:
So there you are. A free-lance writer! Oh piti-
able wretch! Oh miserable fool! Of all the busi-
ness you could have gone into—operating a movie
theatre, or making guns, running a drug store or
learning how to be a tailor or a plumber, a ty-
pographer or a hot dog cook—you insist on going
into the business of cash and carry prose. Well,
you know best. As for me, I know there isn’t a so-
and-so thing I can do to discourage you or make
you change your mind. I admit (reluctantly) I’ve
made a pretty good thing out of it myself. But I’ve
had some breaks … Can you be sure of getting
breaks? Of course you can’t. That’s what a break
means—a stroke of luck that nobody expects, all
pine for madly, and mighty few ever get. Where
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would I have been without my breaks? God knows.
I don’t!
—Jack Woodford,
How to Write for Money
So The Art of War for Writers is my modest attempt at
a fi eld manual for all writing wretches, because I know
how hard it is out there. Following Sun Tzu’s example,
I’ll keep the subjects compact, subsumed under three
main areas:
1. reconnaissance. This section is primarily about the
mental game of writing, because what happens in your
head affects everything else.
Dick Simon, of Simon & Schuster fame, once said,
“All writers without exception are scared to death. Some
simply hide it better than others.” Mental landmines are
everywhere and, if not cleared, will keep you from pro-
ducing words that sell.
A successful writing career must be built upon men-
tal discipline. That doesn’t mean you have to give up your
role as the town eccentric. It does mean you have to write
smart if you want to get published.
2. tactics. Here, we’ll talk about craft. I’ve taught writ-
ing for fi fteen years and written a couple of books and
numerous articles on it. I’ve also benefi ted from writing
books and articles myself, none of which I throw away,
and all of which make my living space smaller.
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What I want to provide in this section are practical
tactics and techniques to help you go deeper, to do things
that will set you apart from all the vanilla slush that’s
poured into the offi ces of tired editors and agents.
Think of these as the extras Q gives James Bond. You
know, like cuffl inks that are really fl ame throwers. Pens
that turn into parachutes. That sort of thing. (See also
“Utilize the Q Factor as a strategic weapon for motivation
at just the right time.” on page 136.)
These are all techniques to put in your toolbox, ready
to use on your novel.
I’ve seen a great many manuscripts in the last few
years that have been very good, yet failed to sell. The
writing was solid, the characters and plot workmanlike,
the structure sound.
Yet, no placement. Why not? Because good enough isn’t
good enough anymore.
Sun Tzu understood that it was the accumulation
of small advantages that added up to long-term victory.
You need to view your manuscripts the same way.
And here’s the good news. If you can take just one
aspect of your writing to that storied “next level,” it will
be quite evident to an agent or editor. They see so much
that is mediocre that their literary eyes will light up with
delight at seeing something better.
3. strategy. Finally, I offer some advice on the no man’s
land of the publishing biz. Anything can happen here,
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and often does. You have to be aware of the possibilities,
and take a long, strategic view of your career.
Simply put, you must be devoted to quality.
It’s no secret what happened to the Detroit automakers
in the 1970s and ’80s. They put out products inferior to the
Japanese who were excelling in both design and reliability.
As a result, Detroit car manufacturers dug themselves into
a hole from which they have never fully recovered.
In any enterprise, quality is job one. Quality is defi ned
by two things:
1. appeal of the workmanship
2. absence of defects
Never fl ag in the pursuit of writing excellence, for
that is your workmanship. The Japanese were inspired
by the concept of kaizen, the philosophy of seeking con-
stant improvement in all aspects of business, every day,
all the time.
At the same time, keep learning about the common de-
fects found in unsuccessful writing and in the operations
of the publishing world—so you won’t engage in them.
Sun Tzu wrote: “He wins his battles by making no
mistakes.”
My hope is that this manual will help you avoid mis-
takes and write stronger books and win the battle to get
and stay published.
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