Writing Tips: 30 Ways to Become a Stronger Storyteller
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We all want to be better writers. But becoming a better writer doesn’t just happen. It takes hard work. Below we’ll discuss 30 writing tips to help shape your writing and turn you into a better storyteller.
6 writing tips on idea generation
Every writer needs something to write about. For some authors, ideas are right at their fingertips. For others, they aren’t so easy to come by. Either way, the 6 writing tips below will help you develop, solidify, and keep track of your story ideas.
1. Read what you want to write: Writing a great book means understanding the genre you are writing into. And the only way to learn the conventions of any given genre is to read it. A lot. So head on over to the library or your local bookstore (or online retailer) and get reading!
Pro Tip: Picture books require their own special kind of writing. Because art tells the story, too, the elements of a picture book are different from any other genre. For tips on how to write a great picture book, check out my article, How to Write a Children's Picture Book in 6 Steps.
2. Study the craft of writing books: The world is full of information on how to write a great book—you just need to reach out and grab it. Read books, watch videos, take courses, attend retreats. However you learn best, just make sure you keep learning!
3. Always have a place to take notes: For some authors, this means paper and a pen. For others it’s a phone (whether to scribble down notes or to leave yourself voice recordings.) Either way, make sure that when inspiration strikes you have a place to write your idea down before you forget it.
Pro Tip: Keep one consistent “idea book,” whether this be a notebook or a notepad feature on your computer. If you find yourself without your normal notebook, jot the idea down wherever you can, but then be sure to add it to your normal notebook—before it gets lost!
4. Try writing prompts: Want to write something, but don’t have any idea? Try using a writing prompt to spark your imagination. You never know what kinds of ideas it will spark.
5. Try finishing a book: It doesn't matter if it's a good book or a bad book—one you plan to show the world or one you intend to shelve. The point is, get something on paper. For many authors, the very idea of completing a book is so overwhelming that they hesitate to even begin. But once one is under their belt, that fear of not being able to finish a book, and then move on to the one you really want to read!
6. Write what you want to read: Books need readers, and odds are that whatever genre you write in, you’ve chosen it because you enjoy reading it. So write what you, as a reader, would want to read!
9 writing tips on idea to rough draft
Once you’ve got an idea, it’s time to start getting that idea on paper. The 9 writing tips below will help you get from idea to rough draft.
1. Set writing goals: Simply saying, “I’m going to write a novel” isn’t enough. While it’s great to have lofty ambitions, smaller ones are easier to achieve. So figure out your big goals, and then break them down into smaller, more manageable goals.
Pro Tip: Actionable goals are more likely to be achieved. Set dates against your goals to give yourself a target to hit.
2. Schedule time for writing: “I’m going to be a writer . . . when I get around to it.” Doesn’t sound very promising, does it? Finding time to write can be hard, and imposter syndrome is a real thing—which makes it all too easy to delay writing and dedicate your time to those other chores that need doing. But putting it off means you’ll never actually get around to writing a book. Set time in your daily schedule to for writing—and then make sure to stick to the schedule!
3. Write daily: Make sure that schedule includes writing time every day. If you need to miss a day, it’s not the end of the world, but writing flows best when you’re in a routine and a rhythm, so try to squeeze in some time every day.
4. Create a rich backstory: Where your characters come from and what they have experienced feeds into who they are and what they are going through now. Even if it never makes its way into the book, make sure you know your characters’ backstory. Remember, our past never truly goes away. It lives with us every day, and the same is true of every character you write.
Pro Tip: Some authors find it useful to create a character bible. A character bible tracks the stories of all the characters in the book, and sometime even includes backstory on the book’s setting.
5. Outline: Before you start writing the actual book, outline the story. Coming up with a solid outline will keep you on track when the time comes to actually write the book.
Pro Tip: Keep story structure in mind as you outline. Introduction, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution. Introduce conflict early, and be sure to set up character and setting early.
6. Create a style guide: Keeping track of plot points, character descriptions, spelling choices, and timelines can get confusing. Learn to use a style guide to track your decisions and ensure your story and writing are consistent. For more information, check out my article, Why Are Style Guides Essential to Writing a Series?
7. Write like you talk: The key to a good book is finding your own unique voice. Write the way you talk. It will sound more natural, and will flow better. You can worry about cleaning it up later.
8. Don’t ramble: Unnecessary characters and scenes can bog down a story. Be concise and get to the point without going on unnecessary tangents. (Sticking to your outline will help here!)
9. Just write: No matter what else you do, just get words on the page. They don’t have to be perfect, and they don’t have to be pretty. All of that can come later. But you can’t edit a book that doesn’t exist, so get busy writing!
12 writing tips on rough draft to final manuscript
Once the rough draft is done, it’s time to start finessing your manuscript. These 12 writing tips will help take you from rough draft to polished manuscript.
1. Be patient: The editing and self-editing stage is not a fast process. It can take many rounds of editing to get a story even close to perfect, so be patient. Don’t rush the process, or you’re likely to end up with a book riddled with problems.
2. Think about your ideal reader: Getting words on the page is one thing, but finessing a manuscript to get to a final draft means making sure your book is reaching your ideal reader. Be honest with yourself. Does the book follow genre standards? Does it have a strong narrative arc? And have you wrapped it up with a satisfying conclusion?
Pro Tip: The best way to find out if a book is working for your audience is to test it on them. Try to find beta readers—readers who will test your manuscript to tell you what they think!
3. Peer review: Author workshops and peer review are a great way to test your story and your writing. Other authors writing in your genre know how a book in your genre should read. So use them to hone your writing skills and strengthen your book!
4. Pay attention to context: It’s not uncommon, especially in longer books, for an author to have information in their head that never quite makes its way onto the page. Make sure readers have all the context they need for a story—or a characters’ actions—to make sense.
5. Use active voice: Sentences in active voice are clear and direct. They are in the moment and we see a character or object DOING an action as opposed to having an action DONE TO THEM. Stories are more exciting when in active voice, so try to find those moments of passive voice and turn them around.
6. Less is more: No matter what kind of book you’re writing, every word counts. Get rid of filler phrases, and look for places where you can rephrase more concisely. Often getting rid of that filler will lead to richer language.
7. Avoid cliches: Cliches exist for a reason: because they express sentiments that are true. But they are also overused. Keep an eye out for cliches and try to find a unique way to express the same idea.
8. Get rid of adverbs: There’s nothing wrong with the occasional adverb, but usually these can be replaced by stronger word choices. Rather than “jumped quickly to the side,” why not “dashed aside.” Any place you can use more accurate verbs in place of wishy-washy adverbs, your writing will be better for it.
9. Set up dialogue properly: Too often, authors overuse LOUD dialogue tags, such as shouted, cheered, or inquired. Learn to get comfortable with the word “said.” Even better, use your narrative to set up who is talking. If you have created unique characters with their own separate voices, a little setup will be all that’s needed for readers to pick up on who’s talking, even without dialogue tags.
Pro Tip: Be sure to start a new paragraph each time a new character starts speaking. For more tips on writing dialogue, check out my article, 5 Tips to Write Dialogue Effectively.
10. Watch point of view: Whether you are writing in first person or third person omniscient, make sure your point of view stays consistent from start to end.
Pro Tip: First person means we are in a character’s head. Seeing the world through their eyes means that we as the reader can’t know anything they don’t know.
11. Show, don’t tell: Showing means using all five senses to convey a scene. Rather than just telling a reader what is happening, invite them in by telling them what they smell, how things feel. Get the reader inside your characters’ heads to really see what they think and feel. For more information on how to show rather than tell, check out my article, Show, Don't Tell—A Guide to Stronger Writing.
12. Keep a list of mistakes you make often: We all have our weak points, and that’s fine. But learning what your weaknesses are is a great way to become a stronger writer. Keep a list of the areas you know you don’t excel in. Then specifically check for those areas in your book, or ask someone else to help you find them.
3 writing tips on final manuscripts
Good writing also means knowing how to properly format a book to make it look right. Use these 3 writing tips to finish off your book
1. Format properly: Make sure your manuscript is properly formatted. Typically, a manuscript should be written in a clean font, like Times New Roman or Arial. Standard size is 12-point font, and a manuscript should be double spaced between lines. Beyond that, be sure to have only a single space between sentences, and to use formatting to indent new paragraphs, rather than spacing or tabbing to start a new paragraph.
2. Proofread: Always, always, always, proofread your final work. Nothing can make you look unprofessional faster than a manuscript riddled with typos and grammatical mistakes, so give it a close final read for mistakes.
Pro Tip: To catch mistakes, try reading aloud, printing the book out, or reading from the last page to the first.
3. Take a rest and come back: It’s impossible to be impartial when you’ve just finished a book, so take a break and walk away for a few days, or even a few weeks. Once you feel you have a bit of distance, go back and give the book a final read.
