#modadvice

[writingforsmarties]

Writing Tip #6

What what you want to read. 

Want to write fanfic? Spend your free time on Ao3. Aspiring historical fiction novelist? Read them. Trying to write YA novels? Meet my friends John Green and Rainbow Rowell and Nicola Yoon and Sarah Dessen. 

It gives you a feel for the style you’re going for and makes it feel more natural and familiar when you’re writing.

[writingforsmarties]

Writing Tip #5

Write wherever you can. Not “in every location you have available” but wherever you write best. Maybe it’s not a desk or a library, but your couch or your bed or even the bathroom.

Take advantage of location-based mojo.

[writingforsmarties]

Writing Tip #4

Inspiration can be anywhere. 

I’ve written full-length stories based on off-hand comments people make. Drabbles inspired by colors. A whole series worth of things revolving around my favorite trope. If you like it, write it.

[writingforsmarties]

Writing Tip #3

Write in pen. When you write things by hand, especially narratives, use ink. It feels more permanent and gives your words more weight. It also helps with editing. Scratch things out if you need to, but not so dark that you can’t see the original idea; you might want it again later.

[writingforsmarties]

Writing Tip #2

Get an editor friend.

First drafts? SUCK. They’re usually awkward and raggedy. Here’s how to fix it: get a friend. Someone you trust to give you a bit of tough love on the scraggly edges, and who’s on board to hype up the solid parts. Let that person read your first drafts and offer some advice about smoothing down the rough parts.

You sure don’t have to apply that advice, but listen to it. And then sit on it for 24 hours and listen to it again (because sometimes things sound better in the light of day) and think about it, because odds are that they might just be onto something. 

[writingforsmarties]

Writing Tip #1

Write what you want. 

Seriously, write what you want. Don’t let other people tell you what you can and can’t do. If you have an idea, write that idea! It’s so much more fun that telling yourself you can’t or shouldn’t write the thing you want to