top of page

Writing Tips for
New or Aspiring Writers

 

  •  Just begin! If you feel like you're still in that stage of talking yourself into being a writer, chances are very high that you will talk yourself out of it. No one ever became a writer by thinking about it. Every day, many people who have an aptitude for writing simply don't begin. 

  • ​

  • Never let intimidation win! At one point in history, the greatest novelist who ever lived, sat there staring at a blank page and wondering if they could write anything of quality. The same was true for the greatest poet, the greatest non-fiction writer, etc. Don't set your standards so high in the beginning that you can never meet them. Sometimes, the greatest thing  beginning writers can do is to tell themselves, "I'm going to sit down and write something that may be pure crap." If it turns out to be true, then you have a place to start and a beginning on becoming better. Either way, it takes the pressure off. You may be surprised with the results.

  • ​

  • Spend as much time as possible reading. Read what you love. Read a wide range of books by different authors. This is where you begin to find your own voice. This is where you develop a vocabulary. After that, it makes the rest of the process simpler and more natural.

  •  

  •  Develop good habits and a regular routine. Find a space that allows you to focus on your writing. Remove distractions. Social media and texting will still be there when you get finished. Set small time and word count goals until you find what works for you.

  • ​

  •  Inspiration is great. Actually, it's wonderful! Never allow the lack of it to keep you from writing. Learn to look for the little things that fuel creativity. Look everywhere... All the time! Over time, as your writing develops, you will learn to find inspiration in what you wrote, and that leads to the next page and the next chapter.

  •  

  •  When you find yourself feeling inspired or excited about an idea, project, your next chapter, etc., Use that energy to get something on the page. Talking about it with a friend can sometimes fuel the energy, but talking about it too much will eventually burn up all the passion. Get on it while it's fresh, even if it's just brainstorming on the page, sketching out an outline, notes about research needed, etc. Engage with the energy!

Tips for More Advanced Writers

  • Eliminate unnecessary words. This is one that can easily be misunderstood and it's not a one-size-fits-all guideline or rule. If you find yourself explaining too much, go back and find a way for your character and dialogue to show exactly that thing you thought you needed to explain. If a description of clothing, facial expressions, setting, mood, etc., are going to serve a worthwhile purpose in a way that doesn't cause the reader to feel like they are wading through page filler material, then by all means include it in the first draft, but do so in a way that uses great words, powerful imagery, etc. Always be willing to edit out unnecessary material.

  • ​

  • Be willing to break rules! New writers have their work cut out for them, just to learn the fundamentals. Rules help them do that. As you find your voice and know you're ready to start tapping on the door of great writing, look for rules that don't necessarily enhance your style. A great example of this is concerning the previous tip about economy of words. Where would Cormac McCarthy be if he restricted his descriptions to short little bits about landscapes and mood?  Be bold! If it turns out to be a failed experiment, that's what editing is for.

  • ​

  • ​Read Poetry! Study Poetry! Learn to love Poetry! Poetry has the ability to rewire your brain about language, structure, imagery, and symbolism.

  • ​

  • Keep truth embedded deeply in your fiction. Always write the truth, even if it's wildly imaginative science fiction fantasy. Let the pure granite blocks of universal ideas underlie every fragile crystal spire you create. It doesn't have to be (and probably shouldn't be) glaringly obvious. Sometimes the most profound truths are those that come from your own experience. Rest assured, if it's profound for you, it's likely so for millions of others.

  • ​

  • Experiment with styles that are a departure from the way you ordinarily write. For example, if you typically write chapters that are from the perspective and in the voice of your main character, try interjecting some chapters that are from a God's-eye perspective. That one can do amazing things for greatly broadening the scope of the story. If you're feeling a superhuman urge to do a deep dive in meta-fiction, go for it. I plan to give it a go, myself. I suspect there's some vast knowledge to be gained from that as an exercise.

  • ​

  • ​If you struggle with being too wordy, play around with writing a flash fiction piece.

  • ​

  • One thing above all - Be absolutely fearless when it comes to pushing your own boundaries!

Writing Prompts Anchor

Creative Exercises and
Writing Prompts

 

       1.Free-flow writing - Do whatever you do to relax your mind (Deep-breathing; Finding a place to sit that is peaceful; Humming softly; Whatever works for you. - Then, set a timer for fifteen minutes minimum and simply start writing with no pre-conceived plan for what you will write. Let the thoughts and mood come to you. Absolutely do not worry about punctuation, spelling, or any type of editing while you write. Let it flow.  When the timer is up, you can stop, but do not stop during the writing. The entire goal is to allow your mind and creative energy to communicate to your keyboard or pen.  Allow yourself to ramble, skip around, and whatever happens, so long as it's not pre-planned. Indulge your spontaneity.  Set it aside for a few minutes, then read it and see if ideas come. Sometimes this exercise can get you unstuck when nothing else seems to work.

 

      2. Method for a better understanding of your characters - Sometimes we have a character in our story that has a personality we know the story calls for, but its a personality type we struggle to understand, empathize with, or have a clear idea of their  motivations.  Examples might be an abusive spouse, compulsive hoarder, drug addict, etc. If we start writing that story simply by guessing what makes them tick, we will almost certainly end up with something that in the best case scenario will lack a degree of realism. In the worst case, we will write something that comes across as blatantly phony.

  •    Now, we all know that good research is one of our best tools, but there is a difference between  an academic understanding and a personal understanding. To some extent, you must get in the character's head and emotions.

  •    Begin by writing a dialog between yourself and your fictional character. There's many different approaches to this. You can write it as though you are confronting the character; appealing to the character for explanation of a specific behavior; demanding he justify his actions; etc. Use your imagination and stay authentic to how you personally would handle a situation. Yes, of course you could simply allow your protagonist to do these same things in the course of the story, but it will never give you the same degree and depth of insight as can be gained by more deeply involving your own personal emotions and ability to attempt understanding.

  •    Our subconscious mind has a way of failing to differentiate between simulation and reality. That is what makes this a very powerful method. I must warn you though, be careful with this if it involves unresolved and potentially toxic situations from your current life or past circumstances.  That's not to say that our work is not worth some emotional investment or even some painful involvement, but we should not carelessly sacrifice our mental health.

​


Fiction Writing Prompts


1. The Library of Alternate Realities: A character discovers a library where several books contain alternate versions of their life.


2. The Memory Thief: A person with the ability to steal memories must navigate moral dilemmas.


3. The Last Hope: In a world on the brink of collapse, a small group must find a way to save humanity.


4. The Ghostwriter: A struggling writer discovers their novels are being completed by an unknown entity.


5. The Virtual Uprising: In a world where AI has surpassed human intelligence, a rebellion begins.


6. The Family Secret: A person uncovers a long-hidden family secret that changes their identity.


7. The Time Loop: A character relives the same day repeatedly, trying to prevent a disaster.


8. The Stranger Next Door: A person discovers their neighbor is hiding a shocking secret.


9. The Lost Child: A parent's child goes missing in a crowded place, leading to a desperate search.


10. The Reincarnation Hypothesis: A person believes they've been reincarnated and must uncover past-life secrets.

bottom of page