In procrastinating a dreaded revision of my current project, I have decided to write a follow-up to my previous post Writing Tips.
After all, I’m always learning and finding out new ways of doing things and some of the information I post may be useful to somebody. Or not. I don’t know, but here we go anyway with another six:

Don’t Write for the Market
You might think that writing to the whims of the marketplace is the way to go, but the market changes all the time. Instead, write for yourself. If you find something interesting the chances are others will too.

Create an Outline
I had always been a ‘pantser’, writing without an outline or a roadmap of where the story was going. The problem is though, writing this way, at least in my experience, doesn’t get you very far. The story just seems to peter out as you run out of steam and become bored with your project. An outline gives you a sense of scope and allows you to craft your beginning, middle and end.

Stick to One Project
This is good advice, but it’s advice that I still find difficult to follow.
There have been many times when I have begun to write one story only to have an excellent idea for another one. I often find that I am unable to focus on what I had been doing and begin to write the new idea.
I have learned to (sometimes)  write until I’m finished, and if a brilliant idea happens to jump into my head, I just write it down and work on it when I have completed the current project.

Electronics are the Devil
Specifically smartphones, tablets and anything else that allows you access to Facebook and Twitter. I can pop onto social media for a ‘quick sec’ to check my notifications and look up an hour later wondering where the time has gone.

Read Your Work Aloud
Reading your work aloud can help you to work out whether or not your sentences are flowing the way you think they are. More often than not, something can look right written down but sound completely different when read aloud.

Remember, You’re not the Best
There will always be better writers than you so it may be a good idea to keep that in mind when you’re writing. And although you’re not the best, there is still nothing wrong with striving to be better. I often feel self-doubt rearing its ugly head as it tries to persuade me that my writing is not good enough. It tells me that I’m a terrible writer, but then I remember that I’ll never be the best writer in the world and that’s okay, as long as I keep trying to improve then that’s all that matters. This tip also helps relieve a little bit of the stress and pressure to complete a project, and I can get back to enjoying my work.

Thank you very much for your time if you read this, I very much appreciate your time.

Until next time,

George

© 2017 GLT

Categories: Writing Tips

Tags: Creative Writing, creativity, life, people, short story, story, tips, words, Writer, writing, Writing Tips