Start of the Writing Tips!

Alright, to kick off my first 'Monthly Tips' project, I'm gonna explain a little about what this project actually is.

I've spent quite a long time writing now and I still remember how confusing all of the 'how to write ____'s that I looked up, were. I remember being at a loss a lot. Stuck in that place of knowing something isn't quite right or that it isn't having as much impact as I would like, and having no idea how to fix any of it except for reading stuff written by people who had more skill than me and trying to learn something from them (which is by all means a fantastic idea, it helped me quite a lot to do things that way).

But I was always frustrated that the stuff I did manage to find, was hard to understand because I didn't yet have the 'sense' that seasoned writers get once you've been doing it for awhile.

So this project is going to be about sharing my experience and actually talking to those who are struggling in the hope that I can make things a little easier, clear the fog a bit, and help explain things that are difficult to figure out on your own even if you have a 'how-to'.

This series will include: things I've figured out or learned along the way, my resources, some of the methods I use, very useful websites, words of the month with example sentences, and more!

This series will be patron-only accessible, but just to give you a little taste, this first tip will be free!

This'll improve your writing process straight away by letting off one of the most common pressures writers (new & seasoned) feel.

Tip: It doesn't have to be right the first time.

This is advice that I've had and followed for so long I can't even remember where I first heard it.

A lot of writers particularly new writers have one of two issues. Either, they just write something out and don't bother to read back through before posting it to make sure it actually has the impact they want it to. Or, they focus too much on making every paragraph they type 'perfect'. As if they can't go back and revise.

And this is where the advise comes in. If you find yourself getting stuck in either of these ways, all you have to remember -- you can even keep a little note somewhere you'll see it -- it doesn't have to be right the first time.

Professional authors and seasoned writers don't often fall into this pit trap, because they/we do what's called 'drafting'. And you've probably heard of it.

Every author/writer has their own personal style and what makes them comfortable when drafting, so it's difficult to offer a manual of how to do it. But my 1st drafts are always about just getting the idea out. Getting the scene in my head onto the page so that I have a blueprint of sorts to follow and so I don't forget anything. Also, it's great when you have those snap ideas but are busy or in a hurry and don't have time to just scribble something out to edit later.

The number of drafts you make is entirely up to you. I typically do about 3. The outline (which is what my 1st draft is), the actual writing; which is specifically not focusing on editing or anything it's purely to lay a foundation for what I want to express and how I want the scene to feel & flow, and the final draft/first editing pass (the 3rd) where I read back through what I've written as a whole (usually a page or so at a time) and rewrite/reword anything that trips me up or doesn't feel quite right when I've read it as a reader would.

I hope this series can be an easy, cheap alternative to expensive courses and/or confusing online articles.

If you have any questions, are curious about what lies ahead, just have something to say, or have tested out my tips please drop a comment below and let me know if it's helped!

Have a fantastic time making the movies in your mind, and I hope your writer's block dissolves in the river of inspiration!