20 Writing Tips To Improve Your Craft
20 Writing Tips To Improve Your Craft
Your Craft
“The pen is mightier than the sword.” Writer Edgar Bulwer-Lytton made this keen
observation nearly 200 years ago, but it remains just as true today. Writing is one of
the most powerful forms in existence, and a simple story can change countless lives
— which is why so many of us choose to be writers in the first place.
But sometimes it can be difficult to find the right words, to tell the story the way you
want, or to start writing in the first place. That’s why we’ve compiled these 20
essential writing tips for writers like you: artists who want to hone their craft to
perfection, so they can tell their stories effectively to the world.
Some of these tips are narrative-related, while others are more about the mentality and
setting you need in order to write. But all have one crucial thing in common: if you
take them to heart, they’ll help you become a much better writer — and maybe even
pen the book of your dreams.
If you prefer your tips in watchable form, check out this video on great writing tips
that no one else will tell you.
1. Even pantsers need to plan
Let’s begin with an age-old question: are you a plotter or a pantser?
Which is the better way forward? Well, it’s different for everyone — what works for
you may not necessarily work for another writer you know.
However, experience has taught us that a little bit of planning goes a long
way. That’s why we always advise some form of preparation, even if it’s just a few
nuggets of your plot, before you dive into writing. So create an outline today, if you
haven't already!
2. Keep your outline in mind
Once you’ve prepared that outline, it’s important to actually use it. This may seem
obvious, but it's seemingly one of the hardest-to-remember writing tips out there!
Many writers find themselves led astray by subplots and secondary characters,
wandering into rambling chapters that don’t really go anywhere. Then when they try
to get back to the main plot, they find they’re already too far gone.
Keeping your outline in mind at all times will help you avoid these disastrous
detours. Even if you stray a little, you should be able to look at your outline and
articulate exactly how you’ll get back to what you planned.
This is especially crucial late in the writing process, when it can be hard to remember
your original vision — so if you have doubts about your ability to remember your
outline, definitely write it down.
The best way to do this is through an early inciting incident, wherein the main
character has a revelation and/or becomes involved in something big. For example,
in The Hunger Games, the inciting incident is Katniss volunteering for the Games —
which kicks off her personal and political conflict with the Capitol.
Finally, remember that there are many different types of conflict. So if you have no
idea what your conflict, it’s probably just unconventional. For instance, your conflict
might be one that unfolds within your narrator (character vs. self), or against some
larger force (like character vs. technology). Once you do figure it out, try to introduce
it early!
In order to combat slow pacing, you’ll need to increase the tempo by:
The first strategy works for one simple reason: it gets rid of filler and fluff. In extreme
cases, you may have to cut a great deal of exposition in order to get to the beating
heart of your story. (See writing tip #18 to help you with this.)
But dialogue loses its impact if the conversation goes on for too long — so for better,
sharper dialogue, be concise. Say you’re writing a story in which two characters have
an argument. You might be tempted to go on for paragraphs to convey emotion,
tension, and meaning, but all this can fit into just a few sentences. Like so:
“Nice of you to show up. What were you doing, if not getting groceries?”
“Thanks for the warm reception. I had a meeting. Kind of an important one.”
For more dialogue-specific writing tips, check out this post — or the video below!
He wakes up just after eight. It’s bright outside the window and the carriage is
warming up, a heavy warmth of breath and sweat. Minor train stations with
unreadable names flash past… Connell rubs his left eye with his knuckles and sits up.
Elaine is reading the one novel she has brought with her on the journey, a novel with
a glossy cover and the words "Now a Major Motion Picture" along the top.
As you can see, it’s pretty hard to completely eliminate telling from your prose — in
fact, the first sentence in this passage could qualify as “telling.” But the rest is
“showing,” as it paints an evocative picture of the scene: the bright, warm carriage in
the train that's rushing past other stations, the girl reading the glossy novel in the
opposite seat.
If you can use all five senses to convey the scene, all the better. Tell us not just what
the central character sees, but also what they hear, smell, taste, and feel in order to
truly immerse the reader in the scene.
Many writers create elaborate histories for their characters, or have long-reaching
plans for them beyond their current works. But readers only need to know the “here
and now,” so to speak. Giving them too much information will overwhelm them, and
likely cause them to put your book down in favor of something simpler.
So while you might include a bit of backstory or foreshadowing every so often, it’s
best to keep most of this info to yourself. This also works on another level, in that you
can reveal tantalizing drips of information as the story progresses, which
will pique readers’ interest rather than lose it. (Two writing tips for the price of one!)
Common literary themes include love, loss, and the importance of doing the right
thing. Your themes will depend on your genre and subject material, but they may also
relate closely to your personal beliefs and experiences. Try to embrace this, as writing
what you know is a great way to infuse your story with genuine emotion.
Also remember that, while omniscient narration is the most flexible way to tell your
story, it also requires the most discipline as an author. An omniscient narrator can
easily move too rapidly among storylines, causing mental whiplash for readers.
To avoid this, remember our tip about having your outline in mind at all times! That
way, even if you have an omniscient narrator, they shouldn’t get too far off track.
The only way you’re ever going to finish writing a book is by sitting down
and writing it, so work on your story as often as you can. Write whenever and
wherever you have a bit of downtime — on the bus, in a long line at the grocery store,
waiting for your laundry, etc. It might feel strange to write on your phone rather than
on a laptop at your desk, but you’ll get accustomed if you do it often enough.
If you can't figure out what to write, we have some awesome writing prompts, writing
exercises, and even writing scholarships (if you're a student) to help you out! You can
also check out these great opening lines, or watch the video below to inspire you.
We won’t really touch on editing here, since this is a list of writing tips, not editing
tips. But if you’re interested in the “later” part, you can check out this guide on how to
edit a book. And remember: you don't have to go it alone — the Internet is chock full
of writing groups willing to give you constructive criticism, not to mention great
editing tools to get the job done.
For bonus points, you might even stage a reading with a group of friends (or fellow
writers) where each person reads the dialogue of a different character. This will give
your writing more “distance” and help you see its flaws more easily. If you do stage a
reading, remember to take notes, so you can remember what to fix afterward!
14. Make it short and sweet
As Polonius said, brevity is the soul of wit, so keep your writing as short and sweet
as you can. This will both entice readers and help you avoid purple prose, which
tends to be a dealbreaker for readers and agents alike.
Of course, if you’re writing literary fiction, you do want your writing to sound
intelligent. How can you do this without going on for paragraphs at a time? The
answer is by making strong word choices, especially when it comes to verbs. Don’t
dilute your story with adverb-y sentences — get down to business and tell us what the
characters are doing.
Fear not: every writer who’s ever completed a book has gotten through this. But how
can you work through such writerly crises without bashing your head against the
wall?
If you ask us, the best solution is to return to your early notes and original outline.
Look back to see if there’s anything there that can help you — you may have
forgotten about some critical component, or it may help you see things in a new light.
And if that doesn’t work, you might just need some time away from this particular
project. Take a break for a day or two, then come back to it with fresh eyes. But
whatever you do, don’t give up! Remember, every writer’s been through this same
thing. Think of it as your initiation, and refuse to let it break you.
17. Listen to feedback
Now for another one of those writing tips that we all struggle with. Throughout the
process of writing, and definitely after you’re finished, you should share your work
with other people: your friends, family, writers’ groups (both in person and on the
Internet), and your editor(s).
Accepting and actioning critical feedback is one of the most difficult parts of being
a writer. Yet it’s also one of the most important skills to have. Because the feedback
you receive from friends and beta readers is the only window you have into other
people’s views — until you publish and it's too late.
So try not to view criticism as harsh, but as helpful. It might just save you from
literary infamy later! On that note…
What to do now? You probably know the answer, even if you don’t want to admit it:
you have to kill your darlings. This most often refers to removing an irrelevant or
otherwise distracting passage, but it may also be your title, an element of your
narration, or even an entire character.
In any case, if it doesn’t add to the story, consider dropping it. Of all our writing tips,
this one is perhaps the most important for writers of short stories and flash fiction,
since you don’t have any room to waste! Remember, you can always save it to re-use
later.
19. Just keep writing
How do prolific, successful authors manage to turn out so many books? Basically, by
keeping calm and carrying on. Stephen King writes 2,000 words every single day,
even on holidays. Jane Austen wrote each day just after breakfast without fail. Kafka
wrote in the wee hours of the morning, barely sleeping as a result.
Now, Jane Austen never had a smartphone distracting her, so that was kind of an
unfair advantage. But you do still need to at least attempt a similar lifestyle, and keep
writing with as much consistency and focus as possible!
This is one of the best writing tips we can give any author, fiction or non-fiction,
short-form or long. Remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint, and keep your head
down until you hit that final blessed page.
20. Keep publishing in mind
Last but certainly not least on this list of writing tips, we’ll cover the potential
of publishing your book once it’s finally finished. Though it's the final step in the
process, thinking about it as you write can really motivate you! Not to mention it's
good to have some idea of your plan when you cross that finish line.
For example, if you go the traditional publishing route, you should consider how you
might pitch your book to agents. What makes your story unique, and why would they
want to represent it? If you start writing with the aim to publish, you can consciously
highlight these elements in the story.
On the other hand, if you’re thinking about self-publishing, the adventure truly does
begin once you’ve finished the manuscript! After a round or two of editing and getting
a book cover, you should be set to put your book up on Amazon and start selling.
There are pros and cons to both these sides. Luckily, if you’ve gotten to this point, the
hard part is over; you’ve managed to write the book of your dreams, and now what
you do with it is up to you!
And if you haven't quite gotten there yet, know that it's never too late. Writing is a
lifelong challenge, but it's also one of the most rewarding things you can pursue. So
go forth and tell the story you've always wanted to tell — we believe in you. ✍
Tip 1: "My first rule was given to me by TH White, author of The Sword in the Stone and
other Arthurian fantasies and was: Read. Read everything you can lay hands on. I
always advise people who want to write a fantasy or science fiction or romance to stop
reading everything in those genres and start reading everything else from Bunyan to
Byatt." — Michael Moorcock
Tip 2: "Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it,
even the people who are most important to you." — Zadie Smith
Tip 3: "Introduce your main characters and themes in the first third of your novel. If you
are writing a plot-driven genre novel make sure all your major themes/plot elements are
introduced in the first third, which you can call the introduction. Develop your themes
and characters in your second third, the development. Resolve your themes, mysteries
and so on in the final third, the resolution." — Michael Moorcock
Tip 4: "In the planning stage of a book, don't plan the ending. It has to be earned by all
that will go before it." — Rose Tremain
Tip 5: "Always carry a note-book. And I mean always. The short-term memory only
retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an
idea for ever." — Will Self
Tip 6: "It's doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing
good fiction." — Jonathan Franzen
Tip 8: "Read it aloud to yourself because that's the only way to be sure the rhythms of
the sentences are OK (prose rhythms are too complex and subtle to be thought out—
they can be got right only by ear)." — Diana Athill
Tip 9: "Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass."
– Anton Chekhov
Tip 10: "Listen to the criticisms and preferences of your trusted 'first readers.'" — Rose
Tremain
MORE TIPS
It’s also because the opening lines of a novel carry a lot of responsibility with them.
They act as an invitation for someone who’s glanced at the first page of your book to
either put it back down or keep reading. It’s like the white rabbit showing up and
asking Alice to follow him: the reader has to decide whether to follow despite not
knowing what will happen next, and it is the writer’s job to convince them to go down
the rabbit hole.
Whether you’re just figuring out how to start a novel, or revisiting Page 1 of a first
draft, Reedsy Editors are here to help with tips for starting a story with literary
examples from a few favorites.
We asked our editors: "how would you start a story?" They came up with 9
insightful ways #amwriting
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Tip 1. Start with the unexpected
Gareth Watkins: Start with the unexpected. Think of the opening to Nineteen Eighty-
Four, or Iain Banks’, The Crow Road, “It was the day my grandmother exploded.” Of
course, your opening doesn’t have to be as outrageous as these, but always aim for
the unusual. In other words: think of how people will be expecting the book to
start, then take the plot in another direction.
If you're in the mood to get some similarly twisty ideas, you can go here to see a list
of 70+ plot twist examples.
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
— George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four
“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I
didn't know what I was doing in New York."
— Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
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"Royal Beating. That was Flo's promise. You are going to get one Royal Beating."
— Alice Munro, Who Do You Think You Are?
At the same time, it's important that the start of your book isn't entirely cryptic. Your
opening must sustain your readers' interest in some way if you are to keep them
reading through to chapter two, and reveal more and more information in the plot
points to come.
Tip 7. Start with an understanding of your
fictional world
Meghan Pinson: What draws me into a literary novel is the sense that the author has
a deep knowledge of everything they’re writing about. If the first page conveys a
mastery of place, time, and language, I can trust the novel is borne of good research,
and I’ll relax into the story. But if the details feel off, or are absent or vague, I won’t
read on.
“The madness of an autumn prairie cold front coming through. You could feel it:
something terrible was going to happen. The sun low in the sky, a minor light, a
cooling star. Gust after gust of disorder. Trees restless, temperatures falling, the
whole northern religion of things coming to an end. No children in the yards here.
Shadows lengthened on yellowing zoysia. Red oaks and pin oaks and swamp white
oaks rained acorns on houses with no mortgage. Storm windows shuddered in the
empty bedrooms. And the drone and hiccup of a clothes dryer, the nasal contention of
a leaf blower, the ripening of local apples in a paper bag, the smell of the gasoline
with which Alfred Lambert had cleaned the paintbrush from his morning painting of
the wicker love seat.”
— Jonathan Franzen, The Corrections
Which line makes you want to read on? I'd hazard a guess that it's probably the
sentence about being perched at a sink — the opening line to one of my favorite
novels, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Say something in your first few
sentences that hasn't often been said before! A brief line that is laden with
foreboding and heavy with what has not been said often works well, too.
“At dusk they pour from the sky. They blow across the ramparts, turn cartwheels over
rooftops, flutter into the ravines between houses. Entire streets swirl with them,
flashing white against the cobbles. Urgent message to the inhabitants of this town,
they say. Depart immediately to open country.”
— Anthony Doerr, All The Light We Cannot See
When readers are transported into your far reaching insights and soulful explorations,
they are yours. Every time I read the opening lines of Hugh Howey’s bestselling self-
published novel, Wool, I am drawn into the breathtaking depths of his vision and
humanity, and I wrench my heart from my chest, and say, “Here, take it.”
“The children were playing while Holston climbed to his death; he could hear them
squealing as only happy children do. While they thundered about frantically above,
Holston took his time, each step methodical and ponderous, as he wound his way
around and around the spiral staircase, old boots ringing out on metal treads.”
— Hugh Howey, Wool
Struggling with your opening lines? Here are 9 ways to start your
story #amwriting
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Writing a book is a monumental task, but very doable once you have momentum and
a compliant muse. If you're looking for ways to end your novel, go here. And when
you reach the finishing line of your entire publishing journey, please read our
technical article on formatting and making a book ready for publishing.