How To Set Yourself Up For Success

"Show, don't tell."
"Write what you know."
"Your first draft is garbage."

When I first started writing, I found myself baffled by adages such as these. What are they really saying? Why are they good advice? ARE they good advice? Will they really make my writing better?

Here we will examine these bits of writing advice and many more things ranging from storycraft to characters to worldbuilding and title creation. Writing-and writing well-is already difficult. It doesn't have to be mystifying. I can't write for you, but I can explain my understanding of craft basics in a clear, meaningful way: the way I wish it had been explained to me when I first began.