Quick Tips for Writers, Part 1

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about conversations I’ve had with other writers, or people who would like to be writers but aren’t sure where to start. I’ve also been doing a lot of thinking about things that I’ve learned that I wish someone had told me when I was starting out. So, whether you’re an aspiring writer, or you’ve been at it for a while now, I wanted to share some quick inspirational tips that I find helpful. 

​1. Write the dang thing.
A lot of people I talk to tell me they really want to write, but they have a hard time finishing anything. Most of the time, it’s perfectionism that’s giving them paralysis that gets in the way of their writing. I don’t think anyone needs to finish a project that they don’t feel passionate about, but I think a lot of times it’s only that fear of our work being garbage that gets in the way. The advice that I give writers who struggle to get through their first draft but want​ to do it, is this: If it’s garbage when it’s finished, you can fix it. If it’s still garbage, then you can throw it out (or save it), but at least you’ll have finished it. 

2. Read what inspires you.
The very best thing that I think helps develop our writing ability (outside of actually writing, of course) is reading. Especially if writers are feeling stuck, I like to encourage them to do some reading. Not just any reading, and definitely not reading that will suck them down an endless whirlpool of information overload. What I encourage them to do is read something that makes them feel inspired, that gets them thinking about or excited to work on their own project.

3. Like any skill, writing gets better, easier, more natural, with practice.
None of us are magically good at writing overnight. At least, no one that I’ve ever met has been. This is a skill that we improve as we go, and the best thing to do is practice, practice, practice. Just as an athlete practices their sport, and a musician practices their instrument, we writers must also practice our craft. 

4. Don’t put your writing on the back burner.
Write regularly and consistently. Muscles are always easiest to use when they’re warmed up and used to a certain type of movement. The best way to make progress on your project and to build that ability is to work at it regularly. If you don’t write every single day, I would at least encourage you to make a routine of it and stick to that routine as closely as you can. 

5. If you want to see progress, make your writing a priority.
No one else will take it seriously if you don’t. I kind of had to learn this one the hard way. I used to think about my writing as a hobby, or something that I dabbled in. As a result, nobody else took it seriously, either. The moment I started making my writing a consistent part of my schedule - and more importantly, when I started telling other people that my writing time was important to me - people started to respect my writing and the time I wanted to set aside to write.

6. Immerse yourself in the world over time. Deep diving all at once could lead you to drown. 
I’ve spoken with a lot of writers who told me that they felt like giving up because there was just too much information out there. They would sit down to write and be bogged down by all the different people out there telling them what they should do with their work once it was finished. Even just on the topic of writing your book, there are so many resources out there, which is great, unless you feel like your work won’t be good enough unless you implement everything that everyone has to say. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge believer in professional development and being informed. What I would say is take it in a little bit at a time. Choose one thing you want to focus on learning about at a time. 

7. Find your people and lift them up. If they’re your people, they’ll lift you right back.
Writing can feel like an incredibly lonely job. It’s so easy to feel like you’re doing it all on your own, because for a lot of the process, you actually are. I have a lot of authors tell me that they don’t make friends with other authors. Some tell me it’s because they are competition (which I think is silly), and others tell me it’s because other authors get too high and mighty and don’t want other writer friends. 

While I totally get that, and have experienced that myself, I think it’s important to find your community. And there are writers out there who feel the way I do, who want to lift other authors up because they know it’s hard. So don’t give up on making other writer friends. But find those people who believe in building a community focused on encouragement and support. We’re out there!

8. There is always someone who is better than you. Let it humble you. Let it challenge you. Don’t let it stop you. There’s always someone worse, too.

I have a lot of people who tell me that they want to write a book, but they don’t feel like it’s worth trying, because they’re not going to be as good as X,Y, Z author out there. I get that. Imposter syndrome is awful to deal with. But… my not writing, you’re kind of making that mindset a reality. You can always get better if you work at it, but you’ll never get better if you don’t try it.

9. Connect with your readers. They’re people, not numbers. 
This kind of goes back to number 7 about building a community that is supportive and genuine, but I think it goes a little bit further than that. I have experienced being super hyped to meet an author whose work I really enjoyed, only to be treated… well, like a number. Like I wasn’t important enough to even look at. As an author, I have a hard time understanding that. Yes, I get that sales are nice, of course, but when I get the chance to meet a reader, or even better, when a reader tells me they have enjoyed my work… well, that makes my whole week. I want to engage with them. 

I know also that events where authors sign their books are limited in time, but I’ve never held an event at a bookstore that wasn’t willing to let me hang out for longer than I was scheduled for if it meant engaging with the readers. So, yeah. Readers out there, I see you, and I know that without you, there’s not nearly as much purpose for us writers to write. 

10. Ask questions.
Again, writing can be lonely work, and it can totally feel like you need to figure all the answers out for yourself, but I implore you. If you have questions, ask somebody. The worst thing that can happen if you ask is that the person you’re asking won’t have an answer for you, but even then, you haven’t really lost anything. So reach out. You don’t have to figure everything out on your own.

That’s it for this week. If you enjoyed these tips or found any of them to be helpful, check back next weekend for more writing-related content, or sign up for my email list on my homepage so you never miss a post!