WRITING TIPS
FOR THE WRITER IN YOU
I would not consider myself to be an expert on how to write a book but I can share with you my writing journey. The first thing you need to do is figure out what type of writer you are.
FICTION: Are you a Fiction Writer? Do you get lost in writing or telling stories of your own making? A Fiction writer relies on his / her imagination, creativity and the ability to make up their own ideas during the writing process. A good Fiction writer invites its readers into a world of make-believe. This individual would have the gift to think outside of the box.
NON-FICTION: Perhaps you are a Non-Fiction Writer. This person writes books about real people, places or events. It could be based on biography, history, science or real life experiences. It deals with real facts and timelines.
POETS: Maybe you’ re a Poet. Poetry can be a form of personal expression, and sometimes it is used to convey information or ideas. Poets can also write devotional books.
Once you have figured out what kind of writer you are; the fun and / or challenge begins. Next thing to do is to find a good writing space. It should to be a place where there’ s little to no distractions or interferences. Your space should inspire you to write. That space may be sitting next to a fireplace or putting one on YouTube. It may be sitting in front of a big window overlooking a quiet meadow. Wherever it is, if at all possible, try to make it your designated spot. This way you train your brain to recognize that space as a working creative place. You may be surprised how your mind has been trained to know, this particular space is for my writing tasks.
B y: L a y n e B r o o k s
A U T H O R & P L A Y W R I G H T
Another helpful tool may be to create an outline or a list for your writing. Who are your characters? What are their personalities? Where does your story take place? What timeline are you writing in? If Fiction, you’ re not under as much scrutiny. If Non-Fiction, you want to make sure you check your facts( this is crucial).
In addition, while figuring out your book, it should have a beginning( introduces the characters and setting), a middle( the main conflict, the climax), and an end( resolves the conflict and provides a conclusion). Your opening line should capture the reader’ s attention, making them want to read further. You need to aim for a certain amount of words per day, per week and per month.
Set a schedule to complete your work. In order to reach your writing goal, set aside time every day to work on your writing project. Being consistent is key to making sure that your project doesn’ t fall by the wayside.
Release the pressure and enjoy the journey with all of its ups and downs. You will be so proud of yourself at the end to know you did it. Remember, whatever you do, DON’ T STOP WRITING!
You have identified what kind of writer you are. You have a special writing nook, and now you need to know who your audience is. What do you want them to get out of your book?
Don’ t be surprised if you know the end of your story but are having trouble getting to that end. It can be a little tricky and may require patience and diligence on your part. It’ s easy to get discouraged if your first few drafts do not pan out. It may take you several times before you lock down on a writing flow. I find for me that no idea is a bad idea, so every idea that comes to me, I write it down, ponder over it and either place it on my ideas pile or use all of it or just some parts of it. I may have a lot of false starts but all of them matter. Each start brings me closer to my story line. Whatever you do, DON’ T STOP WRITING!
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