Despite the fact that I’m only 24, I’ve been writing stories for over a decade. And, while I don’t think it’s even possible to share the stories from my early days after my dad’s house fire, I can say that since my first short story, I’ve continued to grow as a writer.
I think the goal of any writer is to grow. We all want to write better stories with more rich characters who actually touch the people that are reading our books. Which can be hard to achieve when you’re going it alone.
Here are my most valuable writing tips.
Never stop Learning
The idea that you’ve read enough, or written enough, novels in your genre to know what you’re doing is a little silly. Every day people change and grow, and with them genres change and grow. Taking a look at books from the same genre a decade ago (or two or three), will tell you exactly what I mean.
You have to continue learning the craft of writing. And I will forever stand by the idea that writing in itself is an art form.
In order to continue learning, you have to be open to suggestion from other authors, your readers, and especially professionals like editors, beta readers, and reviewers (yes, I consider reviewers to be a sort of professional).
Another way that I learn is by reading blogs like this one. Other writers have so much to say, and supporting one another, even just by reading their blogs, is an amazing way to help each other out, and learn more about our own writing.
Never stop reading
I’m the absolute worst at this, I’ll be shamefully honest.
I can read absolutely nothing for six months, and then read an entire four part series in less than a week. I’m incredibly picky about the books I read in my personal time, but the truth is that I need to widen my horizons.
Reading the series I read this last week gave me the inspiration I needed to finish my own series, and I wish I’d found it much sooner.
Side note: when you read, don’t forget to leave an honest review of the book, especially if you’re a self-published author. I feel as though it’s almost our duty as fellow authors to help one another.
Never stop Listening
This one, in a way, goes right along with learning. But, I’m adding it in because I want you to remember to listen to yourself.
It can be hard for people who have low self confidence, or have even been told to give up writing, to listen to themselves. But, you have to.
That gut feeling telling you that this next twist is right for your story? Listen to it.
That voice in your head telling you to write something completely outside your normal genre? Listen to it.
Sometimes you know yourself better than you realize. There is no way you will be able to get through the struggle of drafting your novel if you can’t listen to your own voice; trust your own voice. You are here because you have a story to tell, and no one else can tell that story for you.
Listen to yourself. You can do this.
Never stop drafting
Drafting is so hard.
If National Novel Writing Month (hey that’s coming up!) has taught me anything, it’s the importance of a good first draft.
When I wrote my first book, I was obsessed with making sure it was perfect. But, the truth is that the first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be on paper (or computer screen). And that can be hard for a perfectionist like myself.
I’m here to say that after participating in last years NaNoWriMo, I’m a firm believer in the importance of just getting that first draft down, no matter how awful some parts of it might be.
“You can edit a horrible first draft, but you can’t edit a blank page.”
So, get that first draft down, ignore the ache in the pit of your stomach that says /this scene/ is absolute shit, and get the main parts of the story down. All that perfecting, editing, obsessing, that’s what the second, third, fourth, fifth…you get what I mean.
You can make your book polished in later drafts. But, you can’t polish your book if you’re too obsessed with the first page to get to the second.
Never stop dreaming
I can be hard not to give up on a story when you hit that block in the road that tells you to delete the whole thing, or prevents you from writing another word. I’m here to say, don’t give up.
You started telling this story for a reason, and, while it may not always be easy, I promise, once you are letting someone you love read it for the first time, it will be worth it.
Hold onto that dream of being a best seller one day. Hold onto that dream of going on a national book tour or your book being made into a movie. None of those are silly.
And, if you have an actual dream that you think would make a great story, write it down. Write it down immediately before you forget.
My last tip.
Never stop believing
Believe in yourself, believe in your abilities, believe in the writing community to get you through this. Believe that you can finish this story, and perfect it, and sell it. Believe that you are worth it, and you are talented, and one day your writing dreams will come true.
Because if you can’t believe it, who will?
Besides your mom (thanks, Mom!)
xoxo,
Ellie,