This newsletter piece is an updated version of one I originally wrote in 2016.
Do you ever worry that you're not really getting any better at writing?
Whatever your chosen area(s) – novels, short stories, memoir, freelancing, poetry – chances are, you'd quite like to be improving on your craft year by year.
And if you're not yet an established writer, you probably want to see yourself progressing too: maybe you know you're not yet quite good enough to make money from it, but you hope you could get there, given some time.
So – whatever stage you're at – how can you make sure you're always improving?
#1: Write Regularly
It probably goes without saying that writing regularly is important – indeed, crucial – if you want to improve. You wouldn't expect to get better at, say, playing the guitar just by reading books or watching videos ... and you can't get better at writing just by listening to podcasts or reading blogs or attending seminars.
You have to actually write.
Some people feel that all you need to do in order to improve is to write lots. I'm dubious about that. You might well make progress over time – but it'll probably be slow progress.
So as well as writing regularly, try some of these too:
#2: Read Other People's Writing
Most writers love to read (even if we struggle to find as much time for it as we'd ideally like). It's important to read:
- Inside your chosen genre or area: e.g. if you want to write a thriller, read thrillers.
- More widely – for enjoyment, but also to immerse yourself in different types of writing.
If you're stuck for ideas about what to read next, ask friends, or pick a list of "100 books to read in your lifetime" or similar and choose some of those.
If you read something that you don't enjoy, think about why. If it's a novel, was it poorly paced, or did the characters seem flat and uninteresting? If it's a piece of non-fiction, is it poorly organised, or is the writing style over-wordy?
#3: Get Feedback on Your Writing
The times I've grown fastest as a writer have, not coincidentally, been the times when I've had the most feedback on my work. Whether it's been from peers in a writing group, fellow students in a class, a tutor, or a freelance editor ... every bit of it has been valuable.
If you've never asked for feedback before, it can be pretty daunting. I still remember my knees shaking in my first writers' group! You might want to start off with someone you trust to be gentle – perhaps a friend or family member. Try to pick someone who's a keen reader, even if they're not actually a writer.
As you get more confident about feedback, seek out more of it. I've always found it helpful to get multiple perspectives on work-in-progress: sometimes, one person will spot a problem that someone else misses. Also, a group consensus can avoid one person's slightly idiosyncratic ideas derailing your plot or your characterisation.
#4: Take the Time to Learn New Techniques
Writing well is a skill, and there are plenty of ways to learn it. There are so many great resources out there for writers: even if you don't have much time or money, there'll be something you can take advantage of.
If money is tight, try:
- Reading several good blogs about writing, particularly ones that focus on the nitty-gritty of how to put the words together well. I really like K.M. Weiland's "Helping Writers Become Authors" for loads of great fiction-writing advice; Copyblogger is good for non-fiction authors (start with their "Popular Articles" in the sidebar).
- Borrowing a book on a specific aspect of writing, either from your local library or from a writer friend.
If you've got some money to spend, you could look for a writing course in your area: if it's a half-day or day course, it won't cover as much ground as a book ... but you may find you take more in, and you'll have the opportunity to ask questions and to meet other writers.
All of us can grow and improve as writers, whatever stage we're at. Good luck with your next steps forward ... and as always, if there's a question you'd like me to answer in the newsletter, just let me know (ali@aliventures.com).
