When I started writing stories thinking they could be books, I was about 11, and I had no idea how to write well. When I read Vira's writing, I loved it. It had so much description and was so much longer than mine. Though, looking back, her's wasn't much better than my own. I had no idea how to describe things in writing. I made people talk and would just say what else is around very blandly. I didn't know dialogue needed to be in quotation marks, I didn't know when to start a new paragraph or how to world build or outline or write characters that weren't Mary Sues.
So how did I learn to write better?
1. Read Blog Posts.
I did the only thing I knew how to at 11 years old, I went on Pinterest.
I don't know why I didn't google writing blog posts, but for some reason I solely used Pinterest. But I read hundreds of posts. All the time. Anything and everything. It didn't matter if it was applicable to me, I'd still read it. That's how I found all the blogs I still follow today.
My favorite is Hannah Heaths. I found hers by just stumbling onto posts on Pinterest that brought me to her blog, and following her. At the time she had only published Skies of Dripping Gold, which I bought and love. But it was her blog that hooked me. Her writing tips are amazing, the gifs she uses, and her fandom references. Not only does she have great writing advice, but she's super cool. Now she's published three (of five?) short stories in The Terebinth Tree Chronicles. I've only gotten the first one, but I reeaallly want to get the others. She also has two short stories in Phoenix Fiction Writer anthologies. If you want to learn how to write well, follow her. Seriously. And don't forget to check out her Youtube and the Indie writer collective she's a part of, the Phoenix Fiction Writers.
The other blog I've followed since then is The Write Practice, which I don't read anymore, but I still do follow. But don't take that as a "aw they aren't as good then" No, not at all. They are amazing. The way they layout their blog posts makes it quick and easy to read, and easy to put their tips into practice with their practice section at the end of each post. They even encourage you to share your writing practice in the comments where you can get feedback and encouragement. It's a great resource for younger writers who are looking to learn a lot about their craft, and practice a lot. And I wouldn't be as good as a writer as I am today without their blog and all the amazing resources they have.
2. Read.
You've heard this. You know this. You probably do this. But I can't not put it in, now can I? Because it's that important. When you are reading you are looking at references for your own art. Do you think artists don't look at reference photos or study other artists work before doing their own? No. In art classes it's not all about just doing art, they study other artists work and learn about their style and might even practice working in the other artist style before their own. So as writers, we need to be reading other writers work.
I find that when I'm reading, my writing is better. My descriptions seam more alive, my characters are doing things other than raising their eyebrows and nodding, because your writing is influenced by what you read. Strongly. While I was volunteering at summer camp, at night our dean would read us a bedtime story over the radio and I started noticing my writing become more childlike during that time. And it was frustrating. I write YA fantasy. But all I had been reading (or listening to) was those children's books every night. I started reading more after that. Long story short, read kids. Books keep the bad writing away. Read outside and inside your genre. Inside, to know the tropes, and outside to expand your horizons, and so much more. Just maybe not children's books, if that's not what you're writing.
3. Podcasts.
I don't know if you've caught the podcast bug yet, but if not, let me infect you.
Podcasts are attractive because you can listen to then as you drive, as you clean your room, as you procrastinate writing for NaNoWriMo... It's like reading a blog post, but without having to pause everything you're doing. The first podcast I started listening to was writing Excuses, hosted by Brandon Sanderson, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. I found it when I was 13ish, and blew through the first three seasons of it in a single weekend. And now I listen to way to many podcasts. Not just writing ones, but audio dramas also. Someday soon I'll post a list of my favorites, but that's another post.
If you want to try podcasts, check out Writing Excuses and Write-Minded.
4. Write. Write. Write.
When I first started writing, because I had no fear of judgement and no way to know how atrocious I was, I wrote a hell of a lot. And that put me where I am now. To become good at anything you have to practice. And even then, I think this man said it well "Good writing is rewriting" - Truman Capote. There are rare days where the words flow and the muse sings and you cannot believe the beauty of the words you just wrote. But that's about one day out of every 400. Rare. Most days, it's forcing your butt in the chair for a bit, and writing words. Words that might suck, be misspelled, and all be deleted in the second draft. But it's not about writing perfect words, it's about writing words that you can later write better. But they have to be written before you can re write them.
Looking back, I don't know how I was able to write that much in the short amounts of time I did. I think I went through a faze where I was just obsessed with writing. The act of it, and learning as much as I could about it. And I guess that obsession never stopped.
Look, with all the writing advice in the world it can seem daunting. But don't get stuck thinking you have to know it all right now, a hundred years ago they didn't have blogs and podcasts and you couldn't read advice from the best writers in the world by just searching for an article or following them on twitter. Just write what makes you happy, a little bit everyday, or a few times a week, and you'll get better.
Much love,
Thane
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