How to Defeat Writer’s Block

Wikipedia defines writer’s block as “a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work.” However, I have come to believe that in most cases, writer’s block is a symptom, not a condition.

Before we can cure writer’s block, we have to diagnose it.

Writer’s block is almost always presented as some mysterious disease. A writer sits down to work and nothing happens. The ideas are gone. The words don’t come. It must be writer’s block!

At times, writers certainly lose their inspiration or face challenges that prevent them from working. I’m not saying we shouldn’t call this writer’s block. What I am saying is that in my experience, there’s usually some underlying cause, and it’s often something that’s easily remedied. Instead of blaming our inability to work on a vague condition, we can figure out what’s really preventing us from writing and fix the real problem.

Today, let’s dissect writer’s block and figure out what causes it. We’ll also explore some solutions for curing writer’s block, and I’ll share some writing tips that have helped me stay inspired. Read more

Excellent Writing Tips from Successful Authors

I love collecting little bits of wisdom from great writers, leaders, and thinkers.

For several years, I’ve been stockpiling quotes that inspire me. Some of them contain sage advice for life; others offer fresh perspectives on the world. Many hold what I consider to be excellent writing tips.

Consider the writer who yearns to write and publish a novel. He thinks about it, dreams about it, aches for it, but the task is daunting and there is so little time. It seems like an impossible dream, one that would take years, even decades to realize. Read more

A Few, Good Writing Tips to Keep You on Your Toes

Have you ever gotten stuck in a writing project, and just when your frustration reached its peak, you heard some bit of sage advice that helped you see how to move ahead?

There aren’t many writing problems that a few good writing tips can’t solve. Whether you need to develop your voice or use fewer clichés, quick tips can contain exactly the wisdom you need.

I keep a file of quotes by authors so that I can refer to their expertise when I need it. I also have several books, notebooks, and other documents filled with writing tips and techniques, and I like to review these every so often to see what I need to bring into my own work. In many cases, these tips are just quick reminders of all the lessons I’ve learned before.  Read more

10 Tips for Writing a Book

Writing a book is a big deal. It takes a lot of time and effort, especially if you want to do it right, which means creating something that people will find entertaining or useful and then polishing, marketing, and promoting it.

It all begins with an idea. A concept. It might start with a few characters or an intriguing plot you’ve dreamed up. It might start with an audience you want to write for or a topic you want to explore.

Many writers start writing as soon as an idea strikes. This approach works for some people, but for most of us, it’s a road to nowhere. If we attempt to write a book every time we get a good idea, we constantly leave previous ideas half finished. If we don’t stop to think about whether the idea is viable, we may get in over our heads or write a book that’s unpublishable or unsalable due to market saturation or lack of interest.

Tips for Writing a Book

There is no right or wrong way to write a book. Ultimately, each author has to figure out how to tackle the project, and what works for one writer might not work for another. But there are some simple techniques and strategies that many authors have found useful and there are certainly steps involved that are essential if you intend to bring your book to a reading audience.

These tips for writing a book are designed to help you think about your project before you commit and to outline some key tasks that have to be tackled in the process of writing a book from concept to publication.

1. Start with a Concept

You might have ten great ideas every day or just one brilliant idea in a decade. The trick is knowing which writing ideas to develop. Before fully committing to a book-length project, make sure it’s the right one for you, something you’re passionate about and can spend months or years cultivating.

2. Identify Your Audience

There’s a difference between knowing your audience and writing for a market. If you love Star Trek, maybe you should write science fiction novels. Then, it would be logical to assume that your audience will consist of Star Trek fans. You should also know your genre. But don’t look at the best-seller list, determine that paranormal romance is all the rage, and set out to write a book just because you think it’s hot right now. There’s a strong likelihood that by the time you finish your book, the fad will have passed and everyone will be reading historical war stories. Write what you love. 

3. Test Your Ideas with an Outline

An outline can be as simple as a few key bullet points or so elaborate that it spans dozens of pages. And many writers don’t use outlines at all. Outlines are like road maps; they provide you with a sense of direction, a route you can use as you draft your book. You have to decide if you work better with outlining or discovery writing. Try both and find what fits.

4. Decide How to Publish

You might wait until after you finish your book before deciding how to publish (self publishing or traditional publishing), but there are benefits to giving it consideration beforehand. If you’re writing a nonfiction book, you may be able to get a book deal (and an advance) before you start writing if you go with traditional publishing. If you’re writing a novel and plan to self-publish, you might want to learn about the self-publishing process while you’re writing your book.

5. Draft Your Book

While it’s true that you’re ultimately writing for an audience, most writers agree that as you write your draft, you should actually write it for yourself. Look at this way: you too are a reader. If you write a book that you’d love to read, then there will be others who will love to read it too.

6. Think About Marketing

All authors have to engage in marketing. If you have the resources, your involvement may mean hiring a PR agency to handle the bulk of the marketing for you. But most of today’s authors find that they have to spend more time marketing than writing. If you write a book, people will read it, but only if you tell them about it first. Marketing is all about making sure people are aware of your book. This is when you find your audience. 

Bonus marketing tip: you can start building a marketing platform long before you finish your book (maybe even before you start writing it).

7. Revisions: Edit and Proofread

Don’t send your first draft to anyone. That includes beta readers, agents, and editors. Don’t even show it to your mom. You might have to rewrite entire chapters. You might have to rearrange relationships in a novel or lop off some of your favorite scenes. Your job is to produce the best book possible. So take the time to make changes that improve your work. 

8. Engage Beta Readers and Apply Feedback

Once you’ve got a book that you think is ready for readers, send it out to some trusted friends. The best beta readers are well read. Try to find someone who is familiar with your genre. Get a reader with exquisite grammar skills. Invite their feedback. Ask them how you can make your book even better. Then, weigh their suggestions and implement the ones that will improve your book even further. 

9. Polish Your Final Draft

Once you have your manuscript in good order, go through and give it a final polish. Nobody likes to read a book peppered with typos. There is an audience that won’t even notice your typos, but you’re not doing them any favors by delivering a faulty product.

10. Publish and Sell

Writing a book is only the first half of your first mission as an author. Once you get it written, you have to get it published. And then you have to sell it. Do some research on traditional and self-publishing. Look into marketing strategies for authors. Prepare for the ride, because it will be a wild one.

Think of these tips for writing a book as general guidelines. Take what you need or what you think will be useful for your particular project.

Got any additional tips for writing a book? Share your insights and experiences with writing a book-length manuscript by leaving a comment, and keep writing!

 

15 Quick and Dirty Writing Tips

The first time someone told me “show, don’t tell,” I had no idea what they were talking about. Show what? Isn’t writing, by its very nature, telling?

I was a young writer and didn’t yet understand the many elements that go into good writing. But I kept hearing that advice over and over: show don’t tell.

Then, one day, it clicked. I got it. To tell was to write a synopsis. To show was to write a scene, to take readers through the events with action, dialogue, and detail. Show, don’t tell. Of course. It was so obvious.

Now, every time I read that advice, I have to smile.

You Can’t Have Too Many Writing Tips

Learning often happens through repetition. Oftentimes, the first time we hear something, we forget it almost immediately. Through review and repetition, we eventually memorize new information.

There are an infinite number of writing techniques and skills that the most advanced writers have mastered. We can’t expect to get our writing right the first time around and we can’t expect to master all those techniques and skills as soon as we become privy to them.

You can’t have too many writing tips and you can’t brush up on your techniques and skills too often. In that spirit, I bring you 15 quick and dirty writing tips. These are just the headlines, designed to jog your memory and remind you of all the writerly things we should be doing at any given time.

Quick and Dirty Writing Tips

This list includes a mix of some of my favorite writing tips and some of the tips I think are most essential.

1. Read as much as you can (and make sure you read good stuff).
2. Write every day – practice makes perfect.
3. Acquire some resources: dictionary, thesaurus, style guide, grammar handbook, and books on writing.
4. Join or start a writers’ group and get feedback on your work.
5. Lower your expectations and allow yourself to write badly. It’s better to write crap than to write nothing at all.
6. Feeling uninspired? Writer’s block is no excuse; find some writing prompts and exercises. Use them.
7. Do you want to write a novel? Launch a blog? Submit your poetry? Set goals and then get busy reaching them.
8. Be yourself. You have your own voice; let people hear it. Don’t compare everything you write to more successful writers. They started somewhere too.
9. Tell your inner editor to take a vacation. Let yourself write freely and creatively. You can always edit and revise later.
10. Get organized. All those notes, journals, and all that research! Binders, notebooks, and computer files. Put things in order so you can find what you need when you need it.
11. Pay attention to your language: word choice and sentence structure is the difference between an award-winning novel and a book that sits on a shelf collecting dust (poetry exercises are great for this).
12. Know your audience. Write for them using language they understand.
13. Be creative and take risks. You’ll never know unless you try.
14. Revise, edit, proofread, and polish everything you write before anyone else sees it!
15. Show, don’t tell (you knew that was coming).

Do you have any writing tips to add to this list? If so, then leave a comment. And keep on writing!

Got Writer’s Block? 23 Writing Tips That Don’t Involve Writing

Okay, so the title’s a little misleading. These 23 writing tips do involve writing, albeit in a roundabout way. And they’re not really tips; they’re activities.

Okay, so the title’s completely misleading.

What you’re really about to get are 23 activities that don’t require you to sit at your computer staring at a blinking cursor for hours on end.

Writer’s block happens. And let me be clear: I don’t believe in writer’s block as an excuse for not writing. Most of the time, when a writer self-diagnoses writer’s block, it’s really a case of I-should-be-writing-but-I’d-rather-be-doing-something-else or my-muse-has-left-the-building-and-I’m-too-lazy-to-look-for-her.

There’s never an excuse for not writing, but there are times when the best course of action is to take a break and do something else. If you’ve been writing all day, then you deserve a break. If you pumped out 10,000 words this week, then you deserve to put down your notebook or step away from that work-in-progress, give your writing muscles a good rest, and engage in non-writing activities.

But you’re still a writer, so here’s the catch: you tackle these activities in a way that only a writer would.

23 Writing Tips (or Activities) That Don’t Involve Writing (but Involve Thinking Like a Writer)

Leave your keyboard, notebook, and pen behind, but keep your writerly head on your shoulders as you scoot through these writing tips. The idea is to engage in activities that can shape and inform your writing, so try to look at everything through your writer’s lens.

1. Read. This is the most obvious non-writing writerly thing you can do. Catch up on your subscriptions, pick up a good novel, or take a stab at reading a book on writing. Don’t forget to put your feet up!
2. Observe. Do a little people-watching at your favorite café or at a park. Listen in on some interesting conversations and get ideas for dialogue. Notice people’s body language so you can bring it into your narrative.
3. Get up and move that body. Yes, the writer’s creed in the 21st century is Butt In Chair, but if you want to keep that butt in shape, you’ve got to get off it every once in a while. Go for a walk, do a little dance, make a little love.
4. Cook and/or eat. But here’s the catch — make it something special: one of your favorite dishes or restaurants or that new recipe you’ve been dying to try but just haven’t had time. Cooking and eating are highly sensory experiences, so think up descriptions for the food. How does it look, taste, sound (sizzle), and smell?
5. Watch a movie. There are tons of great films about writers. Here are a few to get you started: Misery, Stranger Than Fiction, or Throw Mama from the Train.
6. Do a crossword puzzle. This is kind of a cheat because you sort of have to write to fill it in (unless you’re using a digital crossword). Word puzzles are a great way to build your vocabulary!
7. Play a game. I love logic games. Clue is my favorite because it’s a thinking game and you get to make a matrix. If only making a matrix was as cool as it sounds. In any case, there are lots of brain-games that promote thinking. Play them.
8. Take a stroll down memory lane. Have you ever set aside some time to go through your old notebooks and files? It’s enlightening on many levels. You’ll come across that poem that you always thought was so profound only to discover that now it sounds like a tween rant. You’ll stumble over a short story you thought sucked but now makes you laugh. You’ll realize how much your writing has improved but you’ll also find treasures that showcase your raw talent. You might even find some old projects that are worth resurrecting.
9. Remember your other hobbies? Now would be a good time to pick one of those back up, even if it’s just for the day.
10. Fix your website. I mean it: fix your website. Log out of your site and then check it out as a visitor. I guarantee you’ll find something to add or update. Compare it against some of your favorite writers’ websites. Are you missing anything? Got too much going on?
11. Work on your five-year plan. Some novelists spend a decade writing a single book. Surely, you can work out your writing (and non-writing) personal and career goals for the next five years.
12. Geek out. You know that thing you used to be obsessed with (and maybe still are). You know what I’m talking about. You bought the action figures. Yeah, go enjoy that some more.
13. Try something new. Do something you’ve never done but have always wanted to do.
14. Try something even newer — something you’ve never dreamt of doing. Maybe even something you’re a little scared of doing. Take a risk.
15. Spend some time supporting fellow writers. Promote them on social media, buy their books, write (oops, kind of a cheat, right? But we’ll let it slide for the greater good) a review on Amazon or Good Reads. Head down to your favorite indie bookstore and buy a book.
16. Attend an event. You know, a writing event. A poetry reading, a book signing, a lecture. Trust me, these events are a lot more fun and interesting than they sound.
17. Watch a video on writing.
18. Sharpen your pencils.
19. Join a book club.
20. Rearrange your office or writing space. Sometimes a change in your environment recharges your drive and creativity.
21. Get some fresh air. Take that book or your iPod outside and soak up a little vitamin D.
22. Learn a new skill. There are lots of skills you can master to give your writing career a boost: blog technology, social media strategies, query letter guidelines, copyright laws, marketing, and interview techniques.
23. Read aloud. Let’s say you get published. You might have to do a book tour; you’ll probably do local signings. Even if you self-publish and do all your marketing online, you might have to do a phone or video interviews. So practice.

Pick and choose from any of these activities, and if you have any writing tips or activities to add to this list, then leave a comment. And keep on writing.

Creative Writing Tips from Around the Blogosphere

In the spirit of celebrating the writing community, I thought it would be fun to collect creative writing tips from some of the most talented, inspiring, and skillful writers in the blogosphere.

I wasn’t surprised that almost everyone I invited to participate in this collective post agreed – many people sent two or more tips so that I had some wiggle room in choosing which ones to include.

Each writer brought his or her unique voice to the project and generously gave their most writerly advice. I hope you enjoy these insights and find use for them in your own writing efforts. If you have any creative writing tips to add, please feel free to post them in the comments.

18 Creative Writing Tips from 18 Excellent Writers

Bill Womack 

I practice descriptions constantly. On walks around the neighborhood, I’ll make up sentences to describe what I see–the bark on a tree, or the way car tires sound as they crunch over icy slush. It’s all about keeping the writing muscles toned.

BJ Keltz from Enriched by Words

Try all the writing exercises you can find.  You will learn a lot about your voice and your process, and find a few that suit you well enough to work them into your daily writing routine.  Feel free to discard those that don’t work.

Bobby Revell

My most useful writing tip has nothing to do with writing at all. To retain and perpetuate inspiration, you must rid yourself of all ego. When you overly look up to writing luminaries you admire, compare yourself to other writers or see yourself as better or more talented than someone else–you cripple your own ability to be honest, open and creative. Your own ego is your worst enemy as a writer.

Brad Vertrees of Brad’s Reader

My writing really began to mature once I learned that creativity is more about perspiration than inspiration. This means that even when I’m not feeling particularly inspired, I still sit down to write. Once the words are on paper (or computer screen), then the editing process is where the magic (and work) begins – when a rough draft turns into a beautifully written short story. My point is that if you want to be a writer, then sit down and write, whether or not you feel inspired. Hard work is the name of the game!

Brett Legree of 6 Weeks

When you write, write from your gut, your heart, your soul.  Don’t worry too much about polishing it, because like a good conversation, if it is too polished, it will sound rehearsed.  It will not sound like “you”, it will not be “your voice”.  If you write from your very core, you will share the best you have to offer with the world.  And isn’t that what it is all about?

Deb Adams at G’s Cottage

Personalize the piece. My most memorable comments have come when the reader has not only gotten a glimpse of me as a full-spectrum individual but senses that I see them as a full-spectrum individual. To accomplish this requires a blend of honesty, openness and transparency. However, it is different from wearing one’s heart on the sleeve. Instead it makes room for imperfection and second-chances; and everybody has wished for a second chance at least once in their life.

Deb Boyken from Punctuality Rules

Be yourself. No matter how new you are to writing, nobody else can see things, or say things exactly as you can. By being yourself and letting that show through your writing, you will offer a totally unique product. But if you try to write like you think you’re supposed to write–instead of like YOU? Then you’re not offering anything special, so why bother? Only by being yourself are you truly unique, so … be yourself!

The Deep Friar

Forget the fancy grammar and spelling, and just write like you’re talking to your buddy over a few beers at the local pub. If you want your audience to open up and relate to you, it’s important to just be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, because people can sense when you’re not being genuine.

Jaden at Screenwriting for Hollywood

Continue to educate yourself throughout your career, be an expert in your field, and never give up.

James Chartrand from Men with Pens

There’s an analogy in everything, and drawing analogies between concepts can unlock the box to your creativity. If I said, “Write about writing,” for example, you’d rack your brains. But say I suggest, “Write about the similarities between water and writing…” Well, the words just begin to flow.

Karen Swim from Words for Hire

My inner critic loves to hover over my shoulder pointing out that I am a hack. She incessantly questions every word, comma and semicolon on the page. Unable to drown her out with music, or ignore her and press on I came up with a sure fire solution. I banish her from my presence by physically kicking her out of the room and locking the door. I have found that acknowledging her presence and ordering her to leave is as effective as it would be on a “real” person. She is only allowed back in when I have written the first draft, and then and only then she gets to have her say.

Kate at Live Out of the Box

Hop on a bus or train.

Whenever I’m stuck in a storyline or would just like to do a whole lotta brainstorming, I take a bus or a train and could sit next to the window for hours in absolute silence. At that moment, it’s just me and my world that’s taking shape before my eyes. The fast moving scenery is enough to open the floodgates of words and images and I’m often amazed at the ideas that jump out, smacking me in the face. Just be sure you get off at the right stop and not find yourself in a whole different country.

Marelisa Fabrega of Abundance Blog at Marelisa Online

My best advice for creative writing is to create a swipe file—filled with images, quotes, poems, passages from books, possible names for characters, and anything else that catches your fancy.  Your swipe file can act as a creativity trigger, or as a playground in which you mix-and-match ideas until you’ve created something fantastic you can call your own.

Matthew Dryden

Every word you publish must have a pulse behind it. You must write with conviction. It doesn’t matter if you treat your pen like a razor and bleed words across the page, if your words don’t pump your passion through the veins of your readers, then you will not hear back.

Milena from The Leaping Thought

Let something you have written age. You’d be surprised how different your words can look and sound with a couple of hours worth of distance. Often, I let whatever I write sit overnight before hitting the publish button on my blog posts. This practice has helped me to notice mistakes in spelling, syntax as well as effect improvements in the melody of whatever I write.

Sean Platt, aka Writer Dad

Always be yourself.  If you’re not sure who that is, then just start writing.  No one can answer the deepest questions of who you are than you, and there’s no quicker route than the pen.  What keeps people from writing is the fear that they have nothing to say.  Yet that is an impossible thought.  We all have something to say, we just don’t all take the time to say it.  Just write.  Do it with the door closed if you need to, but write past the awkward and the truth will be waiting.

t. sterling watson of indoob, ’tis the workforce

Don’t tell me, show me.  You say there’s a dog across the street.  So what?  You show me it’s a snarling 5 foot beast with too many razor sharp teeth that always barks and never sleeps with way too long of a leash, and then I’ll believe why you never leave.

Zoë Westhof 

Make your readers feel what you are writing by using corporeal language. Words that are tangible, especially ones related to our bodies, evoke strong images and physical response.

Ex: “The howl sliced through her flesh, thrusting a wave of hot blood into her chest” is more gripping than “The piercing howl fueled intense fear as she imagined what was coming.”

Be Yourself

Of all the creative writing tips people shared, only one seemed to repeat itself, and I think it’s so appropriate that it bears repeating: be yourself. You can say it a million different ways – be true to yourself, do you, listen to your heart – and this is true not just in writing, but in life. The most successful, wealthy, and happy people on the planet are those that follow their own path, that march to the ticking of their own hearts, and who dare to believe in their own dreams. If you do nothing else in life, do that, and you (and your writing) will be fine.

Thanks to all the writers who so generously shared their creative writing tips, and for being part of the online writing community that has come to mean so much to me. This was a fun project and I’m grateful that you all decided to participate.

Update: John Roach over at Pro Writing Tips published a post around the same time this one went live, and his is called 17 No. 1 Writing Tips for the New Year. If you’re collecting writing tips, be sure to check it out!

The 22 Best Writing Tips Ever

Brian Clark over at Copyblogger has issued a challenge to bloggers in his post “The Cosmo Headline Technique for Blogging Inspiration.”

The idea is to use headlines from magazines like Cosmopolitan for inspiration, and to write your headlines before composing your article.

I’ve taken Brian up on his challenge and as a result, I bring you the 22 best writing tips ever.

Best Writing Tips

These writing tips cover the basics and the most important aspects of writing.

1. Do it. Write.
2. Read as much and as often as you can. Remember, every writer is a reader first.
3. Keep a journal or notebook handy at all times so you can jot down all of your brilliant ideas.
4. Make sure you have a dictionary and thesaurus available whenever you are writing.
5. Be observant. The people and activities that surround you will provide you with great inspiration for characters, plots, and themes.
6. Invest in a few valuable resources starting with The Chicago Manual of Style, and The Elements of Style.
7. Grammar: learn the rules and then learn how to break them effectively.
8. Stop procrastinating. Turn off the TV, tune out the rest of the world, sit down, and write.
9. Read works by highly successful authors to learn what pleases publishers and earns a pretty penny.
10. Read works by the canonical authors so you can understand what constitutes a respectable literary achievement.
11. Join a writers’ group so you can gain support from the writing community and enjoy comradery in your craft.
12. Create a space in your home especially for writing.
13. Proofread everything at least three times before submitting your work for publication.
14. Write every single day.
15. Start a blog. Use it to talk about your own writing process, to share your ideas and experiences, or to publish your work to a reading audience.
16. Subscribe to the top writing blogs on the Internet. Read them, participate, and enjoy!
17. Use writing exercises to improve your skills, increase your talent, and explore different genres, styles, and techniques.
18. Let go of your inner editor. When you sit down to write a draft, refrain from proofreading until that draft is complete.
19. Allow yourself to write poorly, to write a weak, uninteresting story or a boring, grammatically incorrect poem. You’ll never succeed if you don’t allow yourself a few failures along the way.
20. Make it your business to understand grammar and language. Do you know a noun from a verb, a predicate from a preposition? Do you understand tense and verb agreement? You should.
21. You are a writer so own up and say it out loud: “I am a writer.” Whether it’s a hobby or your profession, you have the right to this title.
22. Write, write, write, and then write some more. Forget everything else and just write.

Do you think these are the very best writing tips? If you have any tips to add to this list, leave them in the comments!

Environmentally Friendly Writing Tips

Today’s writing tips save the world!

My post today is part of a community action called Blog Action Day. This year, the focus in on the environment, and over fifteen thousand blogs are participating. For my contribution, I’d like to share writing tips that will help writers contribute to conservation and the environment by saving paper.

Why is it important to conserve paper? Many people believe that by saving paper, they are also saving trees, forests, and other woodlands. While there is some truth to this, the main reason that it’s important to save paper is to lessen the amount of waste we are dumping into our landfills. According to Paper University:

“Helping to reduce the amount of paper in landfills is an important task. Since each of us uses an average of 700 pounds of paper products per year, paper makes up almost a third of the material which goes into landfills.”

That’s a lot of paper resulting in far too much waste. So, without further ado, I bring you…

10 Writing Tips for Saving Paper, Trees, and Landfill Space

1. Recycle all used paper products.
2. Purchase and use recycled paper products.
3. When writing in a notebook or journal, write on both sides of every page.
4. When printing documents or manuscripts, use double-sided printing.
5. Get into the habit of doing as much writing as possible on your computer or laptop. Even if you’re more comfortable writing longhand, give it a try and make a genuine effort to switch to electronic writing.
6. Don’t print unless absolutely necessary. Practice working through your first draft edits and revisions on the screen.
7. Purchase a PDA, such as a Blackberry phone, which you can use for storing ideas and notes instead of jotting them down on a pocket notebook or other paper scraps.
8. Conversely, when you do need to jot down an idea, use those paper scraps! Keep them in a basket or box on your desk so you can always find them.
9. Be part of the e-mail revolution. Use e-mail whenever possible for written communications and submissions.
10. Encourage others to do the same! Whenever possible, let people know that you practice paper conservation. Tell them why and how, and encourage them to conserve, recycle, and write consciously too!

Do you have any environmentally friendly writing tips that writers can use to help conserve paper products and preserve our planet? Please share in the comments.

Writing Tips for Crafting Compelling Sentences

Nothing ruins a great story like weak words and poorly structured sentences.

We’ve all been there. You’re working through your first draft, or perhaps you’re making your way through revisions. The scene plays out in your mind like a movie. You can see it all clearly. But when you try to put it into words, it just doesn’t flow right.

In literature, language is what makes a piece of writing tick. The plot, the characters, they move through time and space on their own accord, but the words you use to tell their story give it rhythm and clarity.

Today’s writing tips tackle issues with word choice and sentence structure. Choosing the right words to describe what’s happening in a piece of writing can be challenging. A writer might spend an hour looking for a word that accurately captures the sentiment that he or she is trying to convey.

Sentence structure is even more critical. A weak word is like a missed beat, but a weak sentence is discord. It can confuse readers, pull them out of the story, and break the flow of the narrative.

Imagining a scene and then putting it into words can be a smooth ride. Sometimes the words and sentences arrive fully formed and ready for press. Other times, the language is jumbled or flimsy. When dealing with word choice and sentence structure, it’s often best to simply go with the flow. Write what comes to mind, and then go back and clean it up during the revision process. Some writers prefer to get the language as clear as possible during the first pass, and that’s okay too.

But just because a word doesn’t sound right or a sentence reads clumsily, that doesn’t mean it’s a throwaway. There are plenty of habits you can develop and techniques that you can apply to make your words resonate clearly and effectively.

Writing Tips

These writing tips deal with word choice and sentence structure. Some offer positive writing habits that you can develop and incorporate into your own writing process, others are quick solutions that you can use when you’re writing or rewriting.

Build your vocabulary - Nothing makes a sentence sing like words that are clear, specific, and vivid. Expand your arsenal by building your vocabulary. Read a lot and look up words you don’t know. Peruse the dictionary. Sign up for a “word of the day” newsletter. Keep a log of vocabulary words and spend a minute or two each day adding to it and studying your new words. One of the best ways to master language and vocabulary is through poetry exercises.

Avoid repetition – Nothing deflates a piece of writing like the same descriptive word unnecessarily used over and over. She had a pretty smile. She wore a pretty dress. She lived in a pretty house. This kind of repetition robs a story of its imagery, making it flat and two-dimensional.

Use a thesaurus - A thesaurus can help you build your vocabulary and provide a solution for repetition. Many writers avoid thesauri, thinking that reliance on one constitutes some writerly weakness. But your job is not to be a dictionary or word bank, it’s knowing how to find the perfect words.

Read drafts aloud to check the rhythm and flow – Reading aloud is great for catching mistakes and typos, but it can also help you with flow and rhythm. Take it a step further and record yourself reading an excerpt aloud. Does it flow naturally? If you keep tripping over your own sentences, there may be a problem with rhythm. Try alternating sentence lengths, breaking long sentences into shorter sentences, and joining sentences to fix the flow.

Pay attention to word choice – Why refer to something as a “loud noise” when you can call it a roar, din, or commotion? The more specific you are in your writing, the more easily the reader will be able to visualize the story. Choose words that are as concise, accurate, and as detailed as possible.

Simplify - Run-on sentences and short sentences strung together with commas and conjunctions create a lot of dust and noise in a piece of writing. In most cases, simple, straightforward language helps bring the action of a story to center stage. Use the simple subject-verb-object sentence structure to keep the text flowing and to prevent readers from getting confused.

Avoid filler words – I’ve gone back to this article several times since I first read it and have already passed it along to several writers whom I work with. In short, don’t tell the reader what the character is thinking, wondering, or feeling unless it’s essential to the narrative. Just let the action take its course and move the story forward.

Brush up on grammar – Nothing will clean up your writing more than using good, old-fashioned grammar. Pick up a grammar or style guide (a good starter guide is the Elements of Style) and spend some time mastering the rules. Yes, rules are made to be broken, but make sure you have a good reason when you break the rules and make sure it doesn’t impede the readability of your work.

Did you find these writing tips helpful? Do you have any tips or ideas to add? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.