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Common Writing Tips Misunderstood

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  As an aspiring writer, you have likely heard plenty of advice. My personal advice to you is to take all the feedback you can and keep learning. Some advice is better than others, and some are just plain misunderstood. Here are some common writing myths that I'm not rejecting, but want to help you better understand.   Plotter vs Pantser: One or the Other These are two common writing styles. You have the plotter, who plots most of what will happen and how it happens before beginning the writing process. The contrast is the pantser, who begins writing without an outline and lets the plot shape itself. You may hear that you must be one or the other.   A popular plotter is J.K. Rowling. This should come as no surprise, considering the extent and intricacy of her seven Harry Potter novels. Rowling, who knew how her series would end even before the first novel was published, said, “I always have a basic outline, but I like to leave some things to be decided while I write.”...
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5 Things Authors Wish They Knew Before Writing a Book

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How's the journey to publishing going? Surely, there are exuberating moments that fill you with optimism. And likewise, there may be some moments that leave you feeling deflated. A key element of accomplishing any large project is learning from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. As you continue your literary journey, here are a few things to learn from other writers and apply to better your writing.  I Wish I Knew to Start With Characters Before the Plot.  Typically, we begin stories by brainstorming our big idea. You definitely need an intriguing plot if you want your story to sell and for readers to keep reading. However, you should note that characters are what drive the plot. It is only interesting to read how a story unfolds when you care about the characters going through them. Hank Green said , “I couldn’t really get deep into [my] book until I cared about the characters deeply. This gave me the motivation to finish telling their story. My tip to you is to fall i...
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How To Build Realistic Characters

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Your characters should be the most relatable and realistic part of your story. Readers can't relate to killing dragons, but they can relate to the anxiety and pressure of battling adversity or a seemingly insurmountable task. Characters are the fabric of your story, find ways to bring them to life. Here are some ways how you can do just that. Use Real People As Influences There are traits in people, yourself included, that you can exaggerate and apply to your characters. Perhaps you have a little sister who is extremely picky or an obnoxiously sarcastic friend. Consider using these traits to build a foundation for your character. Deriving characteristics from real people is a great first step to building realistic characters. Give Characters Flaws It may be tempting to want your character to solve all the problems, never make mistakes, and just be perfect. Perfection is cool, but it’s the furthest thing from relatable or realistic. Allow your characters to have flaws, faults, and m...
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