Today (Dec 2nd) is my 24th birthday and it made me think about how I’ve been writing for over ten years, and what was the main thing I learned in that time.
And what I learned, the main tip I can give you is just to write what you want to write. Even it’s not “well written”, even if it’s an idea that’s been done thousands of times, even if it’s something you would never show to another human being. Just write it.
You only get better at writing by writing, and you are far more likely to write if it’s something you want to write about. Craft the story you’ve always wanted to see, whether it’s one sentence or 100 pages. And you don’t have to show it to anyone. Don’t tie other people’s validation to your self-worth as a writer. Writing for yourself, writing for fun, for experimentation, is just as amazing as writing something to be published.
Writing should be fun, enjoyable, and/or relaxing (most of the time). If you start to hate writing, then take a step back and figure out why. Are you writing because you feel obligated to write at a certain pace, one that is causing you burnout? Are you writing something you don’t like for the satisfaction/praise/validation of others? If you reach the point where writing causes you more stress than joy, you need to evaluate your situation for the betterment of your current and future self.
And you don’t have to finish anything you write. The amount of unfinished stories I have is uncountable at this point, but it is numerous. The reason I dropped a story varied greatly; sometimes I grew out of the fandom (for fanfiction); sometimes I had just a couple of scenes that I wanted to write and after that, I didn’t feel the need to continue it, and sometimes I just moved on to another idea that caught my inspiration, and then I moved on to another Idea and then another and then…
Write what you want to write. Be proud of whatever you choose to write. And keep writing (when you feel like it). Good luck!
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I wanted to highlight this WritingTipWed. Every Wednesday I post a writing tip on my Twitter! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
Fourth month of doing WritingTipWed on my Twitter where every Wednesday I post a writing tip! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 13 - Fanfiction is a valid form of writing. Period. It’s a great way to anonymously get used to publishing and to getting feedback from readers so you can improve your writing. You just shouldn’t profit off of it because of copyright infringement.
#WritingTipWed 14 - Don’t try to write “sophisticated” or “intelligent” by bringing out the thesaurus and replacing well-known and used adjectives/verbs with generally unknown ones*. It will make your writing seem unnatural at best and pretentious at worst.
*In clarification, I don’t mean to not use less common or complex words. I mean don’t look for practically unknown words that the majority of people wouldn’t know and not put in the context clues to help someone understand the word to show off how “smart” you are. No one wants to read a story where the author is just showing off just because. The word choices have to flow naturally with the characters and the situation.
#WritingTipWed 15 - What is a writing style? It involves wordiness, syntax, word choice, tone, and mood. These articles helped me better understand how to understand the styles of writing and how to develop my own.
self-publishingschool.com/writing-styles/
writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/style/
#WritingTipWed 16 - Use commas instead of periods when ending a line of dialogue, except when ending with an action and not a dialogue tag. “Oh,” Jane said. “That seems a little odd.” John furrowed his brows in confusion.
Third month of doing WritingTipWed on my Twitter where every Wednesday I post a writing tip! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 9: Talking to someone will often lead to more ideas and more solutions than mulling it over by yourself. It can be a close friend or an internet stranger. It will also help you catch problematic and/or offensive concepts that you weren’t aware of.
#WritingTipWed 10: If you’re defensive of your writing, like I was when I started, then ask yourself why are you afraid of criticism? Why is it so bad that you didn’t write something good? Why are you afraid of “failing”? Why do you view it as a failure?
Whether you show someone your 1st or 6th draft, don’t think you won’t receive criticism. If you always think your work is flawless, or you can do no wrong, you’ll always be disappointed. Accept that you’ll make mistakes and learn from them.
If you get negative feedback on your work, you are not a failure, you did not fail. You simply learned how to make it better than it was before. Constructive criticism is necessary to improve as a writer. You can’t get better on your own.
The root of my defensiveness was not wanting to admit I was wrong in front of the critiquer. I learned to listen to them quietly, thank them, think it over alone, and later discuss with them about the changes I made from their critique.
#WritingTipWed 11: Research if you’re writing outside of your race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and/or culture. Know what is considered offensive/a stereotype, how things are described, and how their viewpoints/beliefs differ from yours.
Also, hire a Sensitivity Reader for the groups you are writing about. They will spot cultural inaccuracies, biases, stereotypes, and problematic language. Salt & Sage Books have excellent Sensitivity Readers -> saltandsagebooks.com/sensitivity-expert-consultants/
#WritingTipWed 12: When introducing a new environment, decide how much detail you need to put in your description to set the atmosphere and align with your character’s traits. Don’t make it like a screenplay unless it’s necessary.
July’s WritingTipWed! Every Wednesday I post a writing tip on my Twitter! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 51 - Every writer has their struggles. Some have difficulty writing dialogue, others descriptions, others world-building. Write what you’re comfortable with first, then fill in what’s difficult. And always be kind to yourself.
#WritingTipWed 52 - It’s obvious, but it takes time to write a novel. It’s completely standard for a book to take years to finish, so don’t worry about how long you’ve been working on yours. You’re writing it, and that’s all that matters.
#WritingTipWed 53 - There are 3 types of character flaws: Minor, Major, and Tragic/Fatal.
Minor: Makes character distinguishable and well-rounded
Major: Impairs/restricts character in some way
Fatal: Brings character’s downfall
Minor ex: Childish, Clumsy, Lazy
Major ex: Arrogant, Envious, Short-tempered
Fatal ex: Greedy, Disloyal, Violent
Some flaws can be minor for one character, but fatal for another depending on how they work around it.
blog.reedsy.com/character-flaws/
#WritingTipWed 54 - Quirks are necessary to create a memorable, relatable character. These can include habits, beliefs, actions, style of dress, etc.
Ex: Always wears a wide-brimmed hat and taps foot when nervous.
June’s WritingTipWed! Every Wednesday I post a writing tip on my Twitter! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 46 - When writing a queer character, don’t make the character’s only defining trait about being queer.
Ex, just how you wouldn’t write a character whose trait is being straight, don’t make one whose trait is being gay.
#WritingTipWed 47 - When writing something set in a previous time period, look up what words/phrases were commonly used/didn’t exist yet. And for meanings of words, as they can change over time.
A “gay man”, for instance, used to be a womanizer.
Excerpt from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay:
“The word may have started to acquire associations of immorality as early as the 14th century, but had certainly acquired them by the 17th. By the late 17th century, it had acquired the specific meaning of "addicted to pleasures and dissipation”, an extension of its primary meaning of “carefree” implying “uninhibited by moral constraints”. A gay woman was a prostitute, a gay man a womanizer, and a gay house a brothel. An example is a letter read to a London court in 1885 during the prosecution of brothel madam and procuress Mary Jeffries that had been written by a girl while slaved to a French brothel:
“I write to tell you it is a gay house…Some captains came in the other night, and the mistress wanted us to sleep with them.”“
#WritingTipWed 48 - Accept that when you’re writing a queer story, even if you consulted with hundreds of queer sensitivity readers/beta readers, that your story will not satisfy everyone. You can’t please everyone, so still, be proud!
#WritingTipWed 49 - The APA now endorses the use of “they” as a singular third-person pronoun and it is part of the APA style!
So instead of writing “he or she” write “they” and instead of “his or her” write “their.”
apastyle.apa.org/blog/singular-they
#WritingTipWed 50 - On this last day of Pride Month, remember to love. Love yourself, love others, love your writing. Write about what you love, who you love. The love of friends, families, partners, that’s what makes a story powerful.
#WritingTipWed 43 - Re-writing over and over again can do more bad than good. Once you’re satisfied (which means there are still tweaks you could make), let someone else read it or let it stew for a few days. You’re looking for fresh eyes.
#WritingTipWed 44 - Remember that a critique can be based on a personal preference and not objectively. No one writer would write the same scene the same way. These should still be considered but remember your preferences are just as valid.
#WritingTipWed 45 - Use “There is”/“There are” at the beginning of your sentences as little as possible for better sentence variety. Because if every other sentence began as such, the work would be unnecessarily repetitive.
April’s WritingTipWed! Every Wednesday I post a writing tip on my Twitter! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 38 - A sentence doesn’t always have to be grammatically correct, especially with commas. If the sentence your grammar checker flagged for not having/having a comma flows better the way you wrote it, then keep it.
#WritingTipWed 39 - Don’t be afraid to create new words or phrases in your works. With the right context clues, they won’t confuse your readers. And then, one day, they may be added to the dictionary, and to the common vernacular.
Like Shakespeare who invented over 1000 words in the English language, like “bedazzled” and “addiction”, and many of them are used in everyday conversation to this day.
#WritingTipWed 40 - Cliches are not inherently bad. There are bad ones sure but using some in your writing doesn’t automatically make you a bad writer. You shouldn’t avoid them completely and should incorporate some into your writing.
Using selective cliches adds familiarity to your writing. Readers can get excited because they somewhat expect what’s going to happen. And then, if you subvert the cliche, it’ll create surprise/intrigue in your readers and it’s a great way to make a statement/critique.
#WritingTipWed 41 - If you cringe at what you’ve written before, whether it was years ago or yesterday, that’s good! You’ve grown as a writer and are more certain of how you want to write, even if you don’t know how to fix it at the moment.
March’s WritingTipWed! Every Wednesday I post a writing tip on my Twitter! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 33 - Learn from other people’s mistakes. Check out @/menwritewomen on Twitter to see how not to write female characters, especially how not to describe their appearance and behavior.
#WritingTipWed 34 - When writing a long passage, you should create a new paragraph when: the “camera” moves, a new idea/topic is introduced, time passes or reverts, the setting changes, the mood shifts, and/or you want to create dramatic effect.
#WritingTipWed 35 - Never compare your writing speed to others because everyone writes at their own pace. Some can write thousands of words in a day, others write hundreds, and others write a few sentences. All are equally good because all make progress.
#WritingTipWed 36 - Writing takes energy, always. Even if you enjoy it, it takes a toll. If you’re unmotivated to write or hating writing, take a break (at least for one full day). Do not feel guilty about it, never feel guilty about self-care.
#WritingTipWed 37 - If your dialogue sounds stiff, try adding crutch words. They add no meaning or value to a sentence but are commonly used: “Actually”, “honestly”, “basically”, “like”.
Ex: So, basically, I was like, how could this happen?
February’s WritingTipWed! Every Wednesday I post a writing tip on my Twitter! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 29 - While it can be frustrating, it’s perfectly normal to keep rewriting your story before it becomes the first draft. Major world/character changes are often the cause and this will inevitably make your story better in the end.
#WritingTipWed 30 - When writing about love, try not to prioritize romantic love over platonic love. Don’t fall into the tired trap that friendship is below/lesser than romantic relationships.
#WritingTipWed 31 - Authors should support authors, but we don’t always know the best way, especially for minorities. It’s #BlackHistoryMonth, so here is an article to explain 10 Ways to Support Black Authors.
#WritingTipWed 32 - It’s#AromanticSpectrumAwarenessWeek! The aro character I want is the one whose partner is also fine with not making anything a “date”, not doing generic romantic gestures, and needing alone time. Add what you want to see!
The rest of my January WritingTipWed on my Twitter! Every Wednesday I post a writing tip! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
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#WritingTipWed 27 - Your words speak to your values. You have to make it clear what you condemn, and what you uphold. You have to condemn characters’ bad values in the story or it can seem that you are excusing/encouraging those values.
Things to condemn include but are not limited to:
Racism
Sexism
Homophobia
Transphobia
Exclusivism in the LGBTQIA+/Queer community
Ableism (physical disabilities and mental disorders)
Abuse (physical, psychological, and financial)
Not asking for consent/ignoring boundaries
#WritingTipWed 28 - Listen to your characters. If it feels like you’re making them say or do things they wouldn’t say or do, stop and think it over. You may be writing them how you think they should be (norms/tropes), not how they need to be.
The rest of my 2020 and the very relevant first two of my 2021 WritingTipWed. on my Twitter. Every Wednesday I post a writing tip! If you want to see these weekly, follow me @/EmilyLaJaunie.
Stay safe out there y’all. Keep track of your mental health.
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#WritingTipWed 17 - If you can’t find the word you’re looking for you can use onelook.com/thesaurus/ to describe the concept/definition of the word you’re trying to find. The description can be a single word, a few words, or even a whole sentence.
#WritingTipWed 18 - “That”: gives essential information to a sentence. Ex: The article that covers math was boring. “Which”: can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. Ex: The article that covers math, which I didn’t read by choice, was boring.
#WritingTipWed 19 - Definitely vs Defiantly Definitely: adj; without doubt (used for emphasis) Ex: I will definitely be going. Defiantly: adv; in a manner that shows open resistance or bold disobedience. Ex: She defiantly refused to follow orders.
#WritingTipWed 21 - According to “The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase” by Mark Forsyth adjectives in the English language follow this order to make sense: “opinion-size-age-shape-color-origin-material-purpose Noun.”
#WritingTipWed 22 - I cannot stress enough that as this year comes to a close, it’s okay if you can’t find the motivation to write. Don’t feel guilty. We are living through something very traumatic. Your mental health takes priority.
#WritingTipWed 23 - Holidays, weekends, or scheduled “rest days” shouldn’t be the only time you take a break from writing. Sometimes what’s best for a story is to let it stew in your brain, even for months. Let your subconscious work for you.
#WritingTipWed 24 - Do not beat yourself up if you didn’t meet your writing goal(s) this year. This year’s been insanely stressful and just be proud that you made it through. You are still an author, whether or not you’ve put words on paper.
2021
#WritingTipWed 25 - It’s the new year, but the hardships of the previous one carried over. Don’t feel obligated to make/stick to writing goals or strict deadlines. Take this year one day at a time and do what is best for your mental health.
#WritingTipWed 26 - Insurrection. More threats of violence. If you’re like me, you’re glued to your phone, to the tv, anxious, afraid. Don’t worry about meeting any writing goals you’ve set for the near future. Take care of your mental health.
