The Writer's Ten Commandments |
Thou
shalt love, honour and respect thy Writing. Thou shalt not heed those who utter
evil words or falsehoods about thy Writing but shalt uphold thy Writing by word
and deed at all times.
Thou shalt abhor the virgin parchment and shall fill it daily with words from the depths of thy mind and thy heart and thy soul that others may marvel at the wisdom and beauty and depth of thy Writing.
Thou shalt strive for excellence in thy Writing. Thou shalt watch over thy spelling, punctuation and syntax in thy Writing with the eyes of a hawk. Thou shalt read and reread thy work, fearing errors shall evade thee, and make thee a laughing stock among thy peers.
Thy shalt not be envious of thy neighbour’s Writing, but shall devote all thine emotions to thine own Writing.
Thou shalt not harbour resentment should good fortune smile upon thy neighbour, rather offer praise, so that praise may be heaped upon thee in thy good fortune.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s quill, nor his ink, nor his parchment, but shall strive diligently with all thy might to gain sufficiency unto thyself.
Thou shalt not cast aspersions upon thy neighbour’s Writing but remain content that thine own Writing is beyond reproach and imputation.
Thou shalt remember thy good fortune and be charitable to those less gifted than thyself. Thou shalt not hazard thy Writing by being solicitous over others, remembering at all times that thine own Writing shall take precedence over all things.
Thou shalt take up thy quill with a good heart, a cheery smile and an eager step, knowing thy good fortune to be thine own master as a Writer.
Thou shalt keep thy workplace seemly, knowing that it is as a glass to the byways of thy mind.
Copyright Mike Wilson 2000