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Another question I'm often asked as a self-published indie author is, do you have any writing tips for those who want to start writing? Well, I certainly do - though I'll try to avoid the obvious ones that every other writer talks about. The truth is, writing is not some artistic gift from the gods - just like any other creative endeavour, it takes time and a lot of practice and mistakes to get any good. Writing is a craft, in exactly the same way as carpentry or cooking or learning a musical instrument - the more you do, the better you will get. Here then are some (hopefully) practical, no-nonsense tips to help you out and get you started. In no particular order...
1. Character Is Key
The most important things in creative writing are your characters. Think about them before you start writing. Who are they? What do they like? What are they afraid of? Where were they born? Get to know them. If you're writing a hero, what makes them want to do good? If you're writing a villain, what makes them want to do evil? Every character you write should have an agenda, a purpose, a reason for existing and doing what they do.
In the very first draft of Sarah, my heroine Sarah was a much more sarcastic and bitter character than the one she developed into. Reading back the first draft was a dispiriting experience. I realised that the character of Sarah wasn't very likeable. Big mistake! If I didn't like the character, then what hope for the reader? And so I went the other way, and rewrote Sarah so she became the much more innocent, friendly character of the published novel. Much better! If you can create characters that the reader likes and wants to spend time with, regardless of the story, then half the battle is won.
2. Use The Senses
We live in a world of senses. Smells, sights, sounds, touch. When writing a scene, consider always the senses that your characters feel around them. If a character walks into a room, what does the room smell like? Is it dark or well-lit, can your character see or is it a struggle for them to focus? Are there any background noises? If your character touches something, what does it feel like? Think about things that you touch every day, and use that experience to add detail to your writing. Using the senses like this is an excellent way to quickly set a scene, describe a location and add atmosphere.
3. Remember Rhythm
Language is like music. It has a melody and a rhythm all its own. Consider that always when you're writing. Writing a good, well-constructed sentence is important - but far more important is how those sentences are linked together. Good writing, or the best writing I should say, flows like music. An easy way to assess the rhythm in your work is to read it out loud. What does it sound like when you read it out to yourself? Does it sound stilted or does it roll off the tongue? You'll know it when you hear it!
4. Show Don't Tell
An obvious one this, but it's really important. Try not to have characters recount things that they've seen. It's so boring for the reader. Instead, always try to have a character on the ground, in the thick of the action. It's much better to have a scene unfold in front of you than be told about it after it's happened. Remember, your characters are the readers' eyes and ears - use them! It's far more exciting that way.
5. Quality Not Quantity
If you're really serious about writing, then you must write every day, even if it's just one sentence. It's the only way you'll improve. But don't overdo it! Writing is as much about taking time to think and ponder about your next move as it is about actually sitting down and typing your ideas out.
Think about giving yourself manageable targets. For the Sarah sequel I'm halfway through writing, I'm employing the "Graham Greene Method" (so named after the English author who did this) - 500 words a day, no more, no less. Doesn't sound like a lot - but over 7 days, if you keep it up, that's 3,500 words. And over a month, that's 14,000 words. A sizeable chunk of a book there! Now of course, you don't have to work in this way, but I think it's always good to get some kind of system going. It gives you a good sense of achievement, and it ensures that you keep writing as a regular part of your daily life. Remember it's always better to write 500 good words than 5,000 bad ones.
6. Read Everything
A simple one this, and I was thinking of avoiding it since every writer and creative writing tutor says it...but it's true. Read everything, and I mean everything. Not just fiction books, but non-fiction too. Read blog posts, magazine articles, newspapers, tweets. Read high-brow art and low-brow trash. Read good books and bad books. Especially the bad books - you learn so much more from them. Don't like what that writer did? Good - remember it. Learn from it. Don't copy those mistakes. When you finish reading a book, ask yourself- what would you do to make it better? Can you see a way of improving it? Then take your ideas and apply them to your own writing.
7. Use A Thesaurus
A thesaurus is an absolutely essential part of a writer's toolkit. Some writers of the more artistic, literary persuasion get sniffy about using them, or admitting using them. But I tell you now, Sarah wouldn't have been half the book it is without a thesaurus. Don't be afraid to use it. Don't feel like you're letting yourself down because you can't come up with the right word yourself. The thesaurus is there to help you!
There are loads of good free ones online, but the one I always use is the invaluable www.thesaurus.com/
8. Use Detail
Perhaps this is a tip geared more towards sci-fi or fantasy writing, but it may help in other areas too. If you're trying to build a convincing world, be sure to use lots and lots of detail. Have characters refer to historical events and geographical locations that go unseen. Think about the conversations that we humans have every day. We are constantly talking about things that we have little practical knowledge of, whether that be politics or sport or culture. We all have opinions. Make sure the characters in your world do too. This helps to build realism in a smooth and organic way.
Also consider the speed at which you relay these details to the reader. It's far better and more effective to release lots of little details slowly, than quickly dump them onto the reader in one overwhelming go. Build your world up slowly, and give the reader time to adjust.
9. Be Patient
So very important, this one. Writing is the art of infinite patience. Don't expect to be brilliant overnight; no-one is. It took me four years and multiple drafts of Sarah before I thought I was getting anywhere. It took me another two years before I had a final draft I was happy with. So writing, good writing, takes time. I'm halfway through my second novel and it's only now that I'm starting to think I'm actually getting really good at this. Be patient with yourself. It will take years! But the sense of achievement at the end is like nothing else.
10. Keep Going
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Written by J.H. Barron