5 Tiny Writing Tips That Aren’t Talked About Enough (but work for me)
These are some lowkey underrated tips I’ve seen floating around writing communities — the kind that don’t get flashy attention but seriously changed how I write.
1. Put “he/she/they” at the start of the sentence less often.
Try switching up your sentence rhythm. Instead of
“She walked to the window,”
try
“The window creaked open under her touch.”
Keeps it fresh and stops the paragraph from sounding like a checklist.
2. Don’t describe everything — describe what matters.
Instead of listing every detail in a room, pick 2–3 objects that say something.
“A half-drunk mug of tea and a knife on the table”
sets a way stronger tone than
“There was a wooden table, two chairs, and a shelf.”
3. Use beats instead of dialogue tags sometimes.
Instead of:
"I'm fine," she said.
Try:
"I'm fine." She wiped her hands on her skirt.
It helps shows emotion, and movement.
4. Write your first draft like no one will ever read it.
No pressure. No perfection. Just vibes. The point of draft one is to exist. Let it be messy and weird — future you will thank you for at least something to edit.
5. When stuck, ask: “What’s the most fun thing that could happen next?”
Not logical. Not realistic. FUN. It doesn’t have to stay — but chasing excitement can blast through writer’s block and give you ideas you actually want to write.
What’s a tip that unexpectedly helped with your writing? Let me know!! 🍒
6 Quick Writing Exercises to Wake Up Your Imagination
We all hit those blah writing days. Your fingers are ready, your doc is open... and your brain goes static. That’s where writing exercises come in — small creative boosts to shake off the dust and get back into your story flow. Here are six to try when your words feel stuck in traffic.
1. The 5-Minute Word Sprint
Pick a random word (use a generator or close your eyes and point at a book), set a 5-minute timer, and write anything involving that word. No stopping, no deleting.
2. Dialogue Without Context
Write a short convo between two people. No descriptions. No setting. Just back-and-forth lines.
3. Rewrite a Scene in Another Genre
Take a scene from your current story and flip the genre. Drama becomes comedy. Fantasy becomes sci-fi. Romance becomes horror.
4. Describe a Place Using the Five Senses — No Sight Allowed
Can’t mention what anything looks like. Only sound, touch, smell, taste, and intuition.
5. Character Swap POVs
Write a paragraph from the POV of a side character reacting to your main character. Bonus if the POV is brutally honest or completely wrong.
6. One Line Story Hooks
Write 3 one-sentence story starters that make you want to keep writing. (Example: “I woke up married to my enemy, and worse — he knew it before I did.”)
You don’t need to write a masterpiece every day. But showing up — even for a silly exercise — keeps the creative part of your brain warmed up. Try one of these before your next writing session, and see where it takes you. 🍒
Yearning for Belonging Starters (for characters who feel like they’re always outside the frame, even when they’re in the picture)
✧ I laugh when they laugh. I nod in the right places. And still, somehow, I always feel like I’m one beat off.
✧ I watch how easily they fit with each other. And I wonder what it’s like to not have to earn your place.
✧ I keep my voice soft and my presence smaller, like maybe if I take up less space, no one will notice I don’t belong.
✧ Sometimes I imagine someone turning to me and saying, I’m glad you’re here. And I try not to cry just thinking about it.
✧ I hear inside jokes like echoes of a language I never learned.
✧ There’s an ache in me that no one else seems to notice. Like I’m a missing puzzle piece for a box I’ve never seen.
✧ I try to match the energy in the room, but my smile always feels like a costume.
✧ I wish someone would choose me first. Just once. Without hesitation. Without backup plans.
✧ Being alone isn’t the hardest part. It’s being with people and still feeling like you’re standing outside a window, watching the warmth from the cold.
✧ I’m tired of pretending that not being invited doesn’t hurt.
Grief Without Closure Starters (for when what’s lost never got to finish its sentence)
✧ I keep thinking I’ll wake up and remember this is just a long, cruel dream. But the world keeps moving. And they’re still gone.
✧ There are so many things I didn’t say. And now they sit in my throat like stones.
✧ I walk through the places they used to be and pretend the air still remembers them.
✧ It’s not that I expect them to walk through the door. I just… never really stopped hoping they might.
✧ I want to scream. But I know even if I did, it wouldn’t bring them back.
✧ They left too soon. And now everything that follows feels unfairly loud.
✧ I still check my phone sometimes, as if a message might slip through from wherever they went.
✧ Everyone else moved on like it was a phase. Like grief has an expiration date.
✧ I smile when I talk about them. But it feels like I’m covering a wound with a sticker.
✧ I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. I still don’t think I have.
Quiet Crush Starters (for characters who are absolutely not in love, definitely not, shut up, no I’m not blushing)
✧ I don’t like them. I just notice their laugh before I notice anything else in the room. That’s normal.
✧ I know what color their eyes are in every kind of light. I wish I didn’t.
✧ I find myself looking for them before I even realize I’m scanning the crowd.
✧ Every time they say my name, I feel like I’ve just been handed a secret.
✧ I told myself I didn’t care. But when they sat next to someone else, my chest got tight in a way I couldn’t explain.
✧ I remember their little details. Not because I try. Just because I do.
✧ I thought it was a one-time thing. A passing thought. But here I am, three weeks later, still wondering if they meant that smile.
✧ I can’t tell if they like me too. And I’m scared to find out, either way.
✧ They said something kind, and I’ve been replaying it like it’s a song only I heard.
✧ I don’t even know if I want them. I just know I want to be near them. And that’s probably worse.
When a Character is Falling in Love but Doesn’t Trust It
Love is terrifying. Especially for characters who’ve been hurt, shut down, or raised to believe vulnerability is weakness. So when they start falling? It doesn’t look like a Disney montage. It looks like panic in slow motion.
✧ They start noticing everything and it unsettles them.
The way their voice cracks when they laugh. The way their fingers tap when they’re thinking. These little details burrow in and refuse to leave. And that awareness makes the character feel exposed.
✧ They become hyperaware of their own body.
Where their hands are. How close they’re standing. If they’re blushing. It’s like being inside a body that’s betraying them constantly.
✧ They act a little mean.
Not because they are mean. But because being cold is safer than being real. Sarcasm, distance, teasing, they use it like armor.
✧ They hate how much they want to share things.
They’ll see a funny meme and instinctively want to send it. Then stop. No. Don’t get attached. They want to tell them about a childhood memory, then bite it back. Too personal.
✧ They become inconsistent.
Warm one moment, distant the next. Showing up, then pulling away. They’re testing how much of themselves they can reveal before it feels like too much.
✧ They assume the worst.
They know it won’t last. That this person will leave. That they’re misreading everything. Love doesn’t feel safe, it feels like a countdown to pain.
✧ They self-sabotage.
Pick fights. Flake on plans. Pull away emotionally just to “protect themselves” before it goes wrong. It’s tragic and messy and real.
✧ They notice silence more.
What wasn’t said. A delayed reply. A joke that didn’t land. Everything becomes a sign that maybe this love thing was a mistake.
✧ They want to run, but never do.
The desire to bolt is constant. But they don’t. Because something about this person is pulling them back, despite every warning bell going off in their head.
✧ They don’t trust the feeling, but they keep falling anyway.
And that’s what makes it beautiful. And heartbreaking. Because they don’t want to fall. But they do. And maybe, just maybe, that’s the bravest thing they’ve ever done.
(Emotional meltdowns that don’t look like meltdowns, but absolutely are)
The “Smiling Too Much” Grief
Your character’s entire world is on fire, and they’re asking if anyone wants more wine. That’s not denial, it’s an effort to hold the damn pieces together. Smile like a glue gun. Watch them crack.
The “Not Crying At the Funeral” Breakdown
They don't shed a tear. They organize everything. Perfect speech. Perfect outfit. But a week later, they scream into the laundry basket over a missing sock. That’s the moment. That’s the eulogy.
The “Silent Dinner Table” Fight
No yelling. No slamming doors. Just chewing. Clinking silverware. The kind of silence that tastes like metal. Let the reader feel the air shrink.
The “Polite but Dead Inside” Apology
They say “Sorry” because it’s expected, not because they’re ready. Their voice doesn’t crack. Their eyes don’t meet yours. This isn’t healing. This is a peace treaty with no peace.
The “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” Detour
The one where they ask about your day mid-sob. Redirect. Deflect. “Let’s not talk about me.” That’s rage choked by shame. Write it like it’s shoving itself into a smaller box.
The “Obsessively Productive” Meltdown
New projects. New hobbies. Suddenly they’re running marathons, baking sourdough, fixing the garage door. Because if they sit still for one second, they’ll break. Keep the camera on them when they finally sit.
The “Unsent Letters” Grief
They write it all down. Every damn emotion. Then burn it. Or delete it. Or hide it in a shoebox under their bed. It’s not for closure. It’s to let the ghosts know they were seen.
The “I’m Fine” That Echoes
Delivered too fast. Too sharp. You could bounce a quarter off it. “I’m fine” isn’t fine. It’s the dam cracking. Listen to the echo. Let another character hear the hollowness.
The “Hyper-Logical Rant” Rage
They argue with spreadsheets. With perfect bullet points. Cold rage—like ice, not fire. “I’m not mad, I’m just saying…” But that’s a lie. They’re volcanic under that clipboard.
The “Laughing in the Middle of the Breakdown” Moment
That bitter, hysterical laugh. The kind that sounds more like sobbing with teeth. Let it come at the worst time. Let it shock even them. That’s emotion refusing to stay boxed in.
(Because how they stand can say more than how they speak.)
Upright and stiff — Formal, tense, or deeply uncomfortable.
Slouched shoulders — Insecure, exhausted, or defeated.
Relaxed stance — Open, comfortable, confident.
Hands in pockets — Guarded, casual, or hiding something.
Crossed arms — Defensive, cold, or waiting to be impressed.
Leaning forward — Engaged, flirtatious, or impatient.
Back straight, chin high — Proud, stubborn, or putting on a show.
Shifting weight side to side — Nervous, indecisive, or stalling.
Foot tapping — Anxious, impatient, or barely holding it together.
Arms loose at sides — Neutral, calm, open to the moment.
Fidgeting with sleeves/hair/etc. — Inner turmoil disguised as casual touch.
Spine curled inward — Trying to be small, invisible, or unnoticeable.
Standing too still — Suppressed emotion, discomfort, or internal freeze.
Dominant stance (feet wide, chest forward) — Confidence, aggression, or showmanship.
Head tilted slightly — Curiosity, confusion, or playful challenge.
When Should You Describe a Character’s Appearance? (And When You Really, Really Shouldn’t)
It’s one of the first instincts writers have: describe your character. What they look like, what they wear, how they move. But the truth is — readers don’t need to know everything. And more importantly, they don’t want to know everything. At least, not all at once. Not without reason.
Let’s talk about when to describe a character’s appearance, how to do it meaningfully, and why less often says more.
1. Ask: Who Is Seeing Them? And Why Now?
The best descriptions are filtered through a perspective. Who’s noticing this character, and what do they see first? What do they expect to see, and what surprises them?
She looked like someone who owned every book you were supposed to have read in school. Glasses slipping down her nose. Sharp navy coat, sensible shoes, and an air of knowing too much too soon.
Now we’re not just learning what she looks like — we’re learning how she comes across. That tells us more than eye color ever could.
2. Use Appearance to Suggest Character, Not List Facts
Avoid long physical checklists. Instead, choose a few details that do double work — they imply personality, history, class, mood, or context.
Ineffective: She had long, wavy brown hair, green eyes, a small nose, and full lips. She wore jeans and a white shirt.
Better: Her hair was tied back like she hadn’t had time to think about it. Jeans cuffed, a shirt buttoned wrong. Tired, maybe. Or just disinterested.
You don’t need to know her exact features — you feel who she is in that moment.
3. Know When It’s Not the Moment
Introducing a character in the middle of action? Emotion? Conflict? Don’t stop the story for a physical description. It kills momentum.
Instead, thread it through where it matters.
He was pacing. Long-legged, sharp-shouldered — he didn’t seem built for waiting. His jaw kept twitching like he was chewing on the words he wasn’t allowed to say.
We learn about his build and his mood and his internal tension — all in motion.
4. Use Clothing and Gesture as Extension of Self
What someone chooses to wear, or how they move in it, says more than just what’s on their body.
Her sleeves were too long, and she kept tucking her hands inside them. When she spoke, she looked at the floor. Not shy, exactly — more like someone used to being half-disbelieved.
This is visual storytelling with emotional weight.
5. Finally: Describe When It Matters to the Story, Not Just the Reader
Are they hiding something? Trying to impress? Standing out in a crowd? Use appearance when it helps shape plot, stakes, or power dynamics.
He wore black to the funeral. Everyone else in grey. And somehow, he still looked like the loudest voice in the room.
That detail matters — it changes how we see him, and how others react to him.
TL;DR:
Don’t info-dump descriptions.
Filter visuals through a point of view.
Prioritize impression over inventory.
Describe only what tells us more than just what they look like — describe what shows who they are.
Because no one remembers a checklist.
But everyone remembers the girl who looked like she’d walked out of a forgotten poem.
I'm serious. Please write it. If you need a sign to start, continue, or whatever is inbetween, this is it. Go do it.
I spent the past couple weeks indulging myself in some BookTok recommendations. While some were indeed good (Kings of Sin, my beloved), some were just...I don't need to finish my sentence there.
I DNF'd some books for the first time since I read Lord of the Flies (sorry Golding, you put me to sleep with your descriptions) and I powered through others in hopes that they would eventually get better. The general consensus I ended up getting was that I could not understand for the fucking life of me how these books got published. The writing in some of them was no better than that of a 2010s teen writing Maximum Ride fic on Wattpad for the first time, with the characterization abysmal enough to match.
I don't want to knock any specific author or book here, because I will concede one thing: they finished their books. They got them published. They're successful. For that, I commend them, because I'm still on my way there myself and I can't take that away from them. Jolly good show.
But that brings me to my point: if they can do it, YOU absolutely can do it too.
If some of these Amazon and NYT bestsellers can have prose on a Wattpad level with characters that have enough poorly-written cognitive dissonance to make Deadpool or Walter White jealous, your fleshed out, deeply intuitive, and remarkably creative epic can sit right alongside them no problem. Whether you're writing the next GoT or a romantic slice-of-life, there is a not a goddamn thing on this planet stopping you from rolling up with the big dogs.
If these guys can do it, so can you.
So, stop telling yourself you can't. Stop letting other people tell you you can't. Stop comparing yourself to these authors who, respectfully and bluntly, can't write for shit (or at least need to fire their fucking editors, good lord).
WRITE YOUR DAMN BOOK. PLEASE. WE NEED IT.
(If you like my guides, prompts, writing, or art, consider supporting the blog today! All donations help me keep this thing up and running and all are appreciated <3)
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