As a newbie writer, you may find yourself scouring the Internet for writing tips every day instead of actually writing anything. Luckily for you, I am going to put the best writing tips from authors all together here in one post for your convenience. So, sit back, give your typing fingers a break, and read over these writing tips from authors, for authors.
3 Writing Tips From Authors
1. “I have advice for people who want to write. I don’t care whether they’re 5 or 500. There are three things that are important: First, if you want to write, you need to keep an honest, unpublishable journal that nobody reads, nobody but you. Where you just put down what you think about life, what you thin about things, what you think is fair and what you think is unfair. And second, you need to read. You can’t be a writer if you’re not a reader. It’s the great writers who teach us how to write. The third thing is to write. Just write a little bit every day. Even if it’s for only half an hour—write, write, write.” –Madeline L’Engle
This tip is so important to every writer, especially those just starting out. Keeping a journal is one of my favorite tips to give to people telling me they want to start writing a book. Writing a journal is not only a great way to exercise your writing skills, but it is a way for you to brainstorm ideas and flush them out. Sometimes getting the idea out of your brain is the hardest part of starting a book, a journal can help you tremendously with that.
2. “Start telling the stories that only you can tell, because there’ll always be better writers than you and there’ll always be smarter writers than you. There will always be people who are much better at doing this or doing that—but you are the only you.” –Neil Gaiman
This is one of the truest tips you will ever see on writing. It may seem harsh, but it can also be seen as inspiring. You are the only you in the entirety of existence. No one has ever or will ever have your same exact ideas. You are 100% unique, as are your thoughts. So, don’t waste them! Write the stories you want to tell, because no one else is going to—no one else can.
3. “Write. Start writing today. Start writing right now. Don’t write it right, just write it now—and then make it right later. Give yourself the mental freedom to enjoy the process, because the process of writing is a long one. Be wary of ‘writing rules’ and advice. Do it your way.” —Tara Moss
Worrying about being technically perfect in your writing is a good way to lose motivation and inspiration. Don’t worry about being a perfect writer right now; this is your time to get your words and ideas out there. “Bleed onto the paper” as some say. There is always a time to correct mistakes, but first you have to have the courage to make them.
Writing is always a challenge whether you’ve been writing for a day or for 10 years. Advice will always be readily available to you from the internet, but the best advice comes from those who have been in your shoes once before. Hopefully these writing tips from authors help you on your book writing journey, and if you ever need extra advice, contact me at Write One Publications.
NEXT: Fiction Dialogue Writing Tips Adapted From Real Life
"You can’t be a writer if you’re not a reader." So true! And it's important to step outside of your comfort zone too. Read outside of your preferred genre.