Six Writing Tips You Should Know!

When you end Chapter Two, DON’T STOP! Look at your detailed plan, determine where you are, what needs to happen next, and keep writing! Chapter Three is waiting to be written.

Here are six writing tips to remember while you are writing:

1.    Always listen to your gut even if it means you have to do more work, because in the end it’ll all be worth it. I recently learned this lesson while editing my first book. I kept feeling as though something was missing, that I needed more substance in-between the parts of my book that were thrilling. I ended up going back over the entire manuscript to add in filling material to help the flow. This took weeks, but I am very happy with the ending result.

2.   Use dialogue tags (he said, she said). Some amateur writers forget to do this, which causes the reader to become confused, but please don’t limit yourself to the rather boring “said” all the time. I believe that using another form can heighten the impact of the dialogue. If your character is in pain and crying (or has another intense emotion) when they speak, using "said" will not convey the correct feeling. Try using these more exciting alternatives in such cases:

*Cried

*Demanded

*Pleaded

*Sighed

*Inquired

*Wondered

*Gasped

*Screamed

*Whispered

*Mocked



Photo by Chrys Fey

3.   Avoid passive voice as much as possible. Examples of passive voice: had been delayed, will be held. Passive voice also occurs when past tense verbs (tangled, beaten, diagnosed, etc.) follow "were", "was", and "is". This is a very common mistake that many writers do, but once you learn how to rearrange the sentence to change it from passive voice to active voice, it becomes easier to fix and avoid.

4.   Read books in different genres than what you write in. For example, to learn how to write suspense (even if it is just for one chapter) read a thriller to understand the style. Also, study books by popular authors to see why readers enjoy them.

5.  Carry a pen and notebook everywhere you go, even to bed in case you get an idea while trying to fall asleep because even though you say you'll remember in the morning, you never do.

6.  Write everyday even if it's just a few sentences. Some days you may struggle to write just one good sentence, while other days you may produce pages and pages of genius. The point is, if you make an effort to write every day, your writing will improve and it'll become easier to write daily.

If you follow these six simple steps, you will be that much closer to THE END!


QUESTION: Do you know a good writing tip? Feel free to share it so we can all try it!


*There is, of course, an abundance of writing tips out there. These are just six simple tips I have heard throughout the years and use while I am writing. Most of them are common sense and well-known, but can't be said enough.


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