My rules for writing

"1. Never resort to the use of irony; if sincerity isn't enough, be silent.
2. Forget the self. Artists are boring; it's the art that matters. If you just want attention, go out in the street and pull your pants down. Don't write anything you don't have to write.
3. Don't make people less than they are.
4. Don't write for other people, and don't write for yourself. Just write.
5. Don't lie.
6. Don't be fearful.
7. Don't be boring. Irony, self-consciousness, making people less, writing for others or yourself, lying and being fearful all make for boring writing. "

http://the-urban-monk.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-rules-for-writing.html