Louis L' Amour on Writing

Taken from his memoir Education of a Wandering man.

Louis L’ Amour is well known as a writer of old west novels but he was so much more that that. He was one of the best read men I ever ran across and much more of a student of history than I ever knew as his memoir Education of a Wandering Man points out. He also had some great tips:

"Few people have the imagination for reality." - Goethe

• "But a writer builds a readership because those readers likes what he does with a story, not because of the material." A writer must have some combination of likability, knowledge of the subject, and superior writing talent. If that person has all three they have the capability to be immortal.

• "It is not necessary to travel in order to write good stories, it is only necessary to see, to understand, to reveal.” The writer first and foremost must be able to provide the reader with something they don’t possess on their own. These three elements must be present.

• "One is not, by decision, just a writer. One becomes a writer by writing, by shaping thoughts into the proper or improper words, depending on the subject, and by doing it constantly." One has to not only feel a need to write but to do so all the time.

• "Most young writers waste at least three paragraphs and often three pages writing about their story rather than telling it. This was one of the many things I had yet to learn."

• "When I wrote my first western story I do not remember, but I was writing many stories on many subjects. The West was where I grew up. I knew the people, the land, and the work they did. It was an easy step for me to write about the West." Not everyone follows the “write about what you know” advice but I happen to think is may be the best advice a person can take.

• "One thing I have discovered about research: Let people know what you are looking for. Often the best information will come from the least likely sources." Never be afraid to ask for help. People want to give you what they can and you never know where you’ll find information you can use.

• "I often say that a writer owes a debt of authenticity to his readers... when we deal with history, or anything factual. It should be with care. We may be the only source they have for such information." You can actually learn a lot simply by reading one of his novels. Perhaps the reason he was so popular and endures.

• "Many people have an idea that a writer of stories should live in the area of which he writes, but if he knows his subject matter, he carries it with him wherever he goes." I always recall that Ernest Hemingway wrote all his Nick Adams stories set in Michigan while he was in Paris. 

• "The research is half the fun of writing and delving into old books and records turns up many unexpected treasures." Always be learning and love what you do. Great advice!

• "Once I was established to the point that editors were asking me for stories, I found I could explore in many directions just so I did not forget what people wished to read." Once you become established do what you love but never forget what your readers want to read.

Excellent advice from Louis L’ Amour, I highly recommend his memoir Education of a Wandering Man and will be sure to read more and more of his books.