10 Writing Tips You Might Not Be Aware Of

1. Write. Whenever and wherever possible. There is no place too sacrosanct for an aspiring author. Write on the bus if you have to. Never procrastinate. Finish that book. Writers write, dreamers dream.

2. Read. As much as you can. Words are the whetstone of a writer’s mind. Whether they are good or bad, reading books will improve you as a writer. You will see what works and what doesn’t.

3. Plan what you write. A good writer is also a well-prepared one. This plan can be pages long or just a few quickly scribbled notes. It’s always advantageous to see the road ahead. Avoid any unnecessary literary cul-de-sacs.

4. Set clear, achievable goals. It could be a chapter a day or only a few hundred words. Just make sure that it’s doable and that you are able to write on a consistent basis. Small steps will take you to some exciting places.

5. Finish what you start. Don’t flip from one project to another. No author ever became famous by writing half-finished novels. Start your book and then finish it.

6. Leave it alone. Don’t start editing as soon as the ink has dried upon your manuscript. Leave it a few weeks and then go back to it. Then read it as any reader would, and edit accordingly.

7. Edit, edit, edit. Always be prepared to edit your novel multiple times. Do whatever it takes to make your book as good as it possibly can be. You’ve come too far to mess it up now. 

8. Let someone else have a look. It could be friends or family members - someone you trust who can give you honest, constructive feedback. Consider what they say and be prepared to LISTEN and ACT upon their advice.

9. Never give up. Most, if not all writers, get rejected at some point in their career, but it’s vital that you keep sending your work out to agents and publishers. Write as many books as it takes. One day you will be successful. You must believe it. 

10. Take a break. Writing is a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes take a week or a weekend off in order to re-fresh your batteries. Especially if you are tired. Make sure you’re writing in five years’ time, and not just in five days. 

Heys Wolfenden is the author of the Jack Strong series of books, about a young boy's adventures in space, available now on Amazon: Jack Strong and the Red Giant