Write at least once a day.
The most important thing is to develop a daily writing habit. You’ll be amazed at what happens when you add just a few words to your story every day.
Or maybe not, because what will happen is that you will write a book. “Twyla Tharp’s Creative Practice is a great resource for developing a daily writing habit.
Read like a writer.
In his book On Writing, Stephen King argues that if you don’t have time to read, you won’t have time or skills to write. He’s right.
Make it a habit to have a book with you wherever you go. One should be kept in the bathroom. Learn to read in gulps, not sips, so that lack of time doesn’t prevent you from reading at all.
And while you’re reading, read as if you were a writer. Keep track of what works and what doesn’t. Craft literature should be read.
Read literature that achieves the goals you want your stories to achieve. Find out what works and what doesn’t, and why.
Watch TV like a writer.
I’m a firm believer that if you want to be a writer, you have to be a TV watcher. Television produces some of the best literature and storytelling.
Watch as if you were a writer, just like you read. Pay attention to what it is about the show that makes you so happy that you are willing to devote hours of your life to it.
Or think about why you wouldn’t invest anything in it if you turned it off and didn’t return it.
Watch movies through the eyes of a writer.
People who want to be writers should watch a lot of movies, especially vintage ones, says Ray Bradbury. I go to the movies at least once a week.
Prepare your setting.
You’ll need a setup where your brain quickly recognizes that it’s time to write. It’s a corner of my den, close to the kitchen, for me.
I wish I had a full room to myself, but I don’t. I’ve lived in such small and cramped apartments that my writing space was a desk that I used while sitting on the bed, and that was fine.
Your kitchen table, Starbucks, library, shared workspace, or office are all viable options. Train your brain to go into writing mode when you’re there, wherever it is.
Being in the company of other writers can help you internalize the idea that you are a writer too.
Discover your tribe.
Look for other writers to collaborate with. They are your people, after all, and you can find them online (become a writer ninja), at conferences, workshops, or in your local writing community.
Being in the company of other writers can help you internalize the idea that you are a writer too.
Write for only one person.
Find the antithesis of your tribe: don’t try to write for them. Writing for a lot of people is really distracting. Writing and reading are too subjective for that.
Choose only one person to write for. It is enough if people like what you have written. You have accomplished your task.
Contradictory sentences can be sorted out if you get different opinions or use additional beta readers.
Set limits with your family and friends.
Your writing is crucial. It is your responsibility, even if you are months or years away from solid proof that others will understand.
Create a writing schedule and then defend it like you would any other work plan. It is good to refuse interruptions.
Write as if it were your job.
If you work as a writer, you will do the following: you will put in the work. You will make an effort to master it. You will be able to finish what you start. You can expect others to appreciate your efforts.
Write in a room with the door closed.
This is something I see all the time. The beginning and end of a story are usually obvious to writers, but the middle, which makes up most of the book, can be a bit foggy.
As a result, they start asking for feedback. They approach their tribes and say something like: “I’m not sure where this story is going to go.” “How do you feel?”
Your tribe is significant enough to have its own section on our list, but your story remains yours until you are ready to share it with others. Only then is it theirs. Do not pass it on to them until you are done using it.
Practice self-editing.
Self-editing is just as important as writing. You have to learn how to do it. If you have the notion that you don’t need to spell correctly, use punctuation or commas because editors are there to help you, get it out of your mind right now.
Without a clean manuscript, you’ll never get close to an editor if you go the normal route. You’ll have to hire someone to be your editor if you’re going indie.
If you provide a clean copy to your editor (who, remember, you are paying), you will save money, time, and humiliation. Renny Brown and Dave King’s Self-Editing for Fiction is a great place to start.
