How to Become a Better Writer

A comprehensive list of some writing basics that all writers should know!

Ask anyone in the writing community how to be a better writer and you’ll probably get some of the same responses time and time again… “Show, don’t tell”. “Don’t use adverbs”. And time and time again you’ll find another person preaching the opposite or pointing out successful authors who broke those rules.

Writing is like eating: Some things are fine in moderation! The golden rules of writing often come with exceptions. However… There are some rules you won’t want to risk breaking. Not many want to read a story of unintentional bad grammar and spelling. As you improve your writing, you might look back at old works and cringe. That’s OKAY! That means you’ve learned. And if you want to learn more, here’s a list of writing basics to keep in mind!

#1: Make sure not to alternate tenses.

Everyone has their preferred “tense.” Some prefer past. Some prefer present. But there is one thing we can all agree on. Changing tense in the middle of a paragraph drives us NUTS! Stay consistent or the reader will easily get confused and it will show that you did not edit properly. Read your work out loud and it will help you catch some of these errors that your mind might gloss over when reading to yourself.

#2: Try not to edit as you go.

The first draft will be far from perfect (no matter how perfect it will seem when it’s still that sparkly idea in your head). So many things can change as you get further into the draft that editing as you go may not be to your advantage. This refers primarily to storytelling and descriptive elements that can evolve as the story goes on. This is especially true for discovery writers. If you are a pantser: DO NOT edit as you go! Don’t focus too heavily on perfect wording the first time around because that sentence may not even make it past the first cut.

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#3: Find a word pairing or symbol that you can drop in the story when you’re stuck.

Writer’s block for a scene? A name? Drop in a symbol or word pairing. It will make it easy to search for later. I often use a series of underscores with a (?) in the middle. This takes the place of either names I couldn’t come up with or other pieces of info I didn’t have immediately available. It allowed me to continue writing without breaking the flow of the session. And breaking the flow can lead to block or cause frustration. We write for fun, right? When stuck just jump ahead and inspiration will likely hit!

#4: Don’t try to stick to one project all the way through before looking into other projects.

Everyone works at a different pace. Sometimes that pace slows as we reach the saggy middle or hit a writer’s block. Putting a story down to start a new one will help. Let your other story stew in the back of your mind without abandoning your writing. You will also evolve as a writer if you develop the ability switch between stories. If you are seeking writing as a profession, this can be a valuable skill.

#5: Write, write, WRITE.

The more you write the better you’ll get. Perfect practice makes perfect. Or should I say if you practice with proper form, story structure, grammar, and understand storytelling to its core, you will inevitably get better.

#6: Read and study in your genre.

If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.

Stephen King

It doesn’t only have to be books. Articles, short stories, movies, television, podcasts, video games. There are so many forms of media that use words to engage an audience, which is the author’s primary goal. You may have a compelling story, but if you can’t bring it to life through words you will struggle as a writer. Words are your most important tool so learning how to use them will pay dividends.

#7: Take all advice with a grain of salt.

Many writers will push absolutes about writing. No adverbs. Show don’t tell. Write what you know. But as you read bestsellers, you’ll notice these rules will be broken time and time again. It’s because it’s not that you can never use these things but using them sparingly is so important as with everything else in storytelling. Learning what to look out for will help you grow. Creating a compelling story comes first, and the stronger the writing, the better the pull you’ll have on readers.

#8: Learn your habits.

Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.

MARK TWAIN

Some authors overuse certain words or phrases and it becomes very apparent to the audience, especially if it is a word or phrase not common in their own vocabulary. Words like “very” and “just”. Maybe its certain adjectives they use to describe everything. Or perhaps every character only comes with a description of their eye color… This can be distracting and detract from the story itself because now the reader is tallying up every time you use that word or phrase. Knowing what to look out for will help in the editing process so it can be fixed before hitting that publish button.

#9: Checkov’s Gun.

This separates the amateurs from the pros! If you introduce a concept or something in the story that is meant to pull in the reader, don’t let it turn into a plot hole. The idea is that if you introduce a character with a gun, the gun needs to come into play later in the story. Foreshadowing is so important in storytelling and very satisfying for a reader who catches it (not to mention satisfying for the writer to see it through!).

I hope these tips will help you as you trek forward on your journey as a writer! Did I miss one? Leave a comment below and don’t forget to share!

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