My Love for Books: Lisa Regan – 10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Lisa Regan – 10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer

10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer

by Lisa Regan

1. Read voraciously. Whatever your genre is–read as many books in that genre as you can.

2. Read with your writer hat on. If you’ve read a book that knocked your socks off, go back and reread it to look for the things the writer excelled at and how they pulled those things off.

3. Use critique partners!

4. Give yourself permission to write badly. Remember, you don’t have to use everything you write, but you should write something.

5. Just get it on the page. Even when your writing feels bad and awkward, forge ahead. Fix it later, that’s what editing and revisions are for. For now, just get as much on the page as you can.

6. Study books on the craft.

7. Don’t be afraid to cut. Cut, cut, cut. It may hurt you to cut what you feel is good work, but sometimes it is necessary to make your work as a whole better.

8. Think about your story when you’re doing mundane things like the dishes or folding laundry. Let the story simmer in the back of your mind so that when it is time to sit down and write, you’re already there.

9. Don’t be afraid to try new things and experiment in your writing. That’s one way you get better, by coming out of your comfort zone.

10. Critique other writers’ work. You may think you have nothing to offer, but it’s always easier to see the flaws in other people’s work than your own. Critiquing other writers’ work gives you practice so that when you sit down to revise your own, you’re better able to identify what needs fixing.