James Harbeck been a professional editor for 20 years and a (paid!) writer for longer than that, and he's observed a few things over those years that writers will benefit from knowing. So here are his 12 gifts for writers. These gifts are not rules-no no no no no. I don't care if you want rules. The only real rule in writing is "Write stuff your readers will be glad they've read." (Well, there's also "Don't be a jerk," but that's more of a rule of life.) Everything else is commentary. And so are these: insights, suggestions, ungentle nudges. But you'll be glad you read them.