How to Be a Better Writer: Unorthodox Tips That Actually Work
“How do I become a better writer?”
That, my friend, is a question I’ve always been hesitant to answer. Truthfully, brushing up on your grammar and writing skills through courses and lessons might make you a good writer, but those activities don’t offer the hidden recipe to becoming a talented writer. And by “becoming a better writer,” I can usually assume that what you really mean is: I want to be a talented writer, one that enjoys writing things that others genuinely enjoy reading.
Which is why, until now, I’ve been hesitant to give an answer. Because every person has their own taste, background, and experiences to draw from that lend to strengthening their skills as a writer, and it’s my belief that while writing classes and grammar courses can help you be better, they won’t always make you great. You want to be great, don’t you?
You do, I know.
So, here are 4 unorthodox but effective tips to help you improve your writing skills.
Read things that stir your soul and challenge your heart.
If you’re a reader, it’s easy to get pulled into—and subsequently mentally trampled in—a genre rut. Many readers find that a specific book genre brings them comfort, and provides a welcome mental relief at the end of a long day. But the problem with comfort is that it doesn’t inspire growth.
To be a better writer, you need to read things that stretch you emotionally and mentally. You need to read things that pull at those dusty old heartstrings; that sit with you until long after you close that final page and stare blankly at the wall across from you, wondering how your life will resume. While it’s great to have a tried-and-true genre that you love to read, it’s important to remember that there are other books out there that you will likely love, too, if given the chance.
If you’re a reader of fiction, take a look at the kind of fiction you usually read, and look for the opposite. Typically lean toward contemporary? Opt for something historical. Spend most of your time in Regency England, like I do? Go backward or forward in time—it won’t hurt you, I promise. And maybe pick up a nonfiction book every now and then.
If you’re typically a reader of nonfiction, it might feel uncomfortable for you to dive into the world of make believe. But I encourage you to do it anyway. There’s something special about a fictional book’s ability to climb inside your mind and paint a beautiful picture. Most die-hard nonfiction readers just haven’t found that fiction book that changes everything for them—yet. But I promise you, it’s out there. My advice: dip your toe into the pool of make believe by opting for a fictional book based on true events.
Write about things you like; write about things you hate.
Really, my first bit of advice that’ll help you be a better writer is just to write. And don’t stop writing, even when you’re uninspired. Start a blog, or write in your own private Google doc where no one will ever see (and then save everything you write in case you want to publish it later). Just write, and then write some more.
If at first you have a difficult time knowing what to write, choose a topic or subject you’re passionate about. Even if it’s just a made up story about your rescue dog’s life before you rescued him or her (NOW my wheels are turning), just write something. Take a deep breath, remove the filter of, “this needs to be perfect or else I’ll die,” from your mind, and just write about something you love. Do yourself a favor and refuse to read through what you’re writing until after it’s all done. Better yet, read through it the next day, when you’re slightly less nervous and emotionally attached. Everything looks better after a day, trust me.
After your first few writing prompts, I want to challenge you to write about something you really dislike. Why? Well, it’s pretty easy to write about things you like, isn’t it? Similar to those long-winded texts about why you bought such and such to your closest enabler friend. But it takes a greater level of skill to write about things you dislike, or better yet, despise. If you need inspiration, just remember those utterly awful essays and papers you wrote in high school. The ones that made you wish you were never born. Draw from those. They’re there, no matter how hard you tried to forget them, settled deep within your pores.
…Making sure you never move on or forget.
*Cough* Anyway, write about things you love, and things you hate. If you’re ever running out of ideas, look up writing prompts for aspiring writers, like this one from Reedsy.
Grow in experiences, or in imagination.
As a reader, writer, and editor of fiction, I can honestly tell you that books and stories are just bits and pieces of people and things we know and have experienced. Take it from one of my all-time favorite authors, Fredrik Backman. A while ago, he began a series on Instagram where he shared little bits of writing tips and advice. For tip #7, he spoke about drawing inspiration. Something he said stuck with me, and I think it’ll serve you, too:
“It’s a common thing to ask writers about their ‘inspiration,’ and there are very few things I find harder to explain… it’s not like lightning for me, it’s not a sudden realization, it’s little by little… Most often? It’s not a new thing, it’s an old one. A memory. A forgotten emotion.”
Read the full post from Fredrik himself here.
I’m willing to bet that you have plenty of experiences and memories under your belt, whether you realize it or not. But if you’re staring at your screen, gritting your teeth while thinking, “Kirsten, I’ve lived a beautifully ordinary and fairly calm life,” then I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and nod my head (are you picturing it?) while saying: That’s fine, that’s all the more reason to start experiencing more things.
Isn’t it?
Remember when I told you to choose books that fall outside of your typical genre? And then remember when I told you to write things you hate? Well, the same rule applies here. Make an active effort to do things that make you slightly uncomfortable—so long as they’re completely legal, and don’t hurt anyone else, of course. Here’s an example: Yoga makes me uncomfortable. The idea of doing yoga, in a full classroom, makes me even more uncomfortable. And then the idea of doing yoga when the room is a sweltering 90+ degrees? Usually I’d flip my hair—which is super short, so it doesn’t flip, which means that it would be more of a dramatic head roll than anything else—and say, “nothankYEW” with more sass than is good for me. But because I want to grow in experiences and be a better writer, I’ll do it. Just once. And I’ll know that if nothing else, something absolutely hilarious will come from it. Because whether I write about that exact experience, or I just draw from the feelings of humiliation and sweaty, sweaty despair in future books, it’ll all be for research.
Funny research.
So, book your uncomfortable hot yoga class, whatever it might be.
At the same time, if your journey to gather experiences is slower going than you’d anticipated, exercise that imagination muscle. A great way to do so is to challenge yourself to write about something you’ve never done—use your imagination, write about what it feels like to, say, sky dive, or bungee jump, or eat at one of those overpriced dining in the dark restaurants. You’ll be surprised to find that your brain can make up most of the details on its own, while pulling from other things you’ve experienced to cover those senses and feelings. Write as if you really did experience that very thing. Add as much detail and context as you can. It’s impossible to do so without becoming a better writer.
Find your voice, and the rest will come.
I don’t love the authors I love because they’re grammatically correct. I love them for the fact that when I read their work, I hear them. I see them. I befriend them. I laugh with them. And after a while of reading their work, I can almost anticipate the way they’ll say or describe a thing, and there’s something ridiculously comforting and lovely about that.
So, be opinionated. The chances are that you already are an opinionated person, but you might have difficulty knowing how to vocalize those opinions in ways that others can digest. Some approach being opinionated through humor; others use emotion. Now, that’s not to say that in order to be a writer, you need to talk about your thoughts and feelings. Hardly. Instead, think of your opinions as the drops of pure pigment that will color the different shades and hues of the pieces you write. Some pieces will be bold and rich in color, and others might have a sheer wash or tint. Those opinions and thoughts will seep into the way you say things, which will dictate your voice.
Your voice is more than your intonation. Your writing voice is dictated by how you start a thought or story. It is also your pacing, your sentence structure, whether or not you use adjectives like your life depends on it. To write words that others enjoy reading, you need your own voice. To create your own voice, you need to have your own opinions, experiences, and preferences that will color your writing, no matter the type.
Find your voice, and your audience will find you.
You don’t need to be a grammar or syntax expert to be a good writer.
Please, don’t get me wrong—writing something that is as enjoyable as it is readable is a learned skill. But you don’t need to be predisposed to catching grammar errors, tense issues, and syntax in order to be considered a talented writer. That’s what your editor is for. To be a talented writer, you need a voice that’s personal to you, a heart that wants to shed itself of a few outer layers, and a story that’s begging to be shared. So, get to experiencing, then get to writing, and then hit your dictionary and style manuals later, you soon-to-be talented writer, you.
About the Author
I’m a wife, dog mom of three, editor, and writer. I’m currently working on my debut novel while helping authors get the books of their dreams in tip-top shape. To learn more about my editing services, click the button below.