Twelve Tips for Writers

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Over the years, some fellow writers have asked me for advice. While I'm flattered that they view me as someone who can impart such wisdom, I sometimes feel inadequate. In the moment, I start to question if I even have the right experience to give other writers advice. Yet after meeting some of my favorite authors face to face, I’ve quickly learned that almost every successful writer has had similar doubts. We all start on the same path, slowly climbing our way up and learning the skills we need along the way.

If you’re here and you’re writing, you have the same potential to become the published author you want to be. So while I may not be as far along that path as I think I should be, I’m here and I’m striving. Like you, I’m slowly but surely working towards my next goal. As I look back, I see how far I’ve come and how much I’ve learned. Every writer’s journey will look different, but we can each learn a little from the experiences of those around us.

Without further ado, here are my twelve tips for writers:

The Twelve Tips:

1. Write often. The more you write, the more natural writing will feel.

2. Sometimes the best way to beat writer's block is to do it together. Meet up with some friends, set a timer, and write!

3. Never compare yourself to another writer. Ever.

4. As frustrating as grammar can be, it is important. Educate yourself on the basic rules for punctuation, sentence structure, etc.

5. When possible, cut back on things that drain your creativity and productivity, even if it's something you're hesitant to let go of.

6. Get rid of your writer's ego. You're not the only one who thinks they're writing a masterpiece, and you're not the "next J.K. Rowling".

7. With that said, don't cut yourself short either. You're a writer, and that's awesome. Be the next you.

8. Take care of your mind, heart, and body. It's hard to write when you don't take care of yourself first. Instead of the "tortured artist", let's romanticize having our basic needs met.

9. On this: Struggles with mental health and disabilities are real and valid. Care for your needs, and find ways to make writing happen.

10. Learn from the pros. Go to writing conferences. Read outside your favorite genres. Explore classic literature. This will help you learn to master language to your advantage.

11. Expand into other forms of writing besides novels: write poetry, short stories, essays, journal entries, etc. Widening your writing abilities will help increase your skills.

12. Lastly and most importantly: Just writing fluff isn't enough. Figure out what life means to you, and write about it. 

One Year as a Copywriter

What I've learned after working as a professional writer for an entire year.

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I recently reached one year as a copywriter at the company I work for! While this is a small milestone, stepping into the world of professional writing has been an exciting and eye-opening experience. This past year has been filled with learning experiences as I've put my skills to good use beyond writing poetry and novels.

What is Copywriting?

When I mention I’m a copywriter, sometimes people get a little confused as to what that means. I’ve had some people think I work with copyright laws while others assume I write computer code. Essentially, the term "copy" refers to professional written content. As a copywriter, I write marketable web content for business websites, blog posts, and more. I work in a word document which is sent to the content team after I’ve finished writing and editing to be incorporated into the website dev.

Learning New Skills

Copywriting is a skilled profession that requires creativity, versatility, and the ability to craft compelling messages that persuade and sell. I’ve always enjoyed learning, so that is one aspect of my work that I’ve come to appreciate. Being adaptable and open to learning new things has helped me find greater success. Some of the essential copywriting skills I’ve honed include:

• Research

• Writing Skills

• Communication

• Storytelling

• Attention to Detail

• Editing

• Marketing Basics

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Picking Up the Pace

Working in a professional field means deadlines are important! In order to meet my page count quota each month, I learned to implement some strategies for better time management. Pacing myself and taking breaks at routine intervals helps me stay focused and work at a more consistent rate so I can meet my page count for the day. I set small goals to strive for during my work day, such as finishing a site and picking up a new one by the end of the day. These smaller goals help me reach the bigger goals.

Working as a Team

I work remote as part of a team of dedicated writers. Although working remote means I’m not interacting with my coworkers directly, our team collaborates to create stunning websites for a wide variety of clients. My work as a copywriter is only one part of an entire process of different teams that puts the product out into the world. From working with project managers to sending writing to the content team and receiving back edits, we all work together to make the magic happen. Our managers also take efforts to make us feel like a team and boost morale during our zoom meetings each week.

Balancing Work and Life

Avoiding burnout as a full-time writer is definitely a challenge. With reading and writing as my hobbies and side hustles, spending eight hours a day staring at words on a computer screen has made it difficult to keep writing on the sidelines. There are many days after work where the LAST thing I want to do is read a book much less write one. Yet because my author career is so important to me, I’ve made the time and space to write and enjoy reading every now and then.

The best way I’ve found to avoid burning out is to take time away from writing. As obvious yet counterproductive as that sounds, if I try to force myself to write creatively every day outside of my work as a full-time copywriter, I’ll quickly get tired of it. Going outdoors, spending quality time with friends, working on a soley-for-fun art project or sewing project gives me the mental space needed to get back to writing again.

Looking to the Future

Although this position is not my dream job, it has been a unique opportunity to see the other side of professional writing. Until I can get established as a writer and content creator, this job is an excellent way to support myself while continuing to stretch my writing skills. If you’ve been following my writing journey, don't fret! I am slowly but surely continuing on the path to publishing.

Not My First Manuscript

What writing three and a half books taught me about becoming an author.

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I recently finished editing my debut novel, A Light Unseen. Preparing my manuscript for querying to agents and publishers has me reflecting a lot on how far this journey has taken me. While A Light Unseen is the first novel I intend to publish, it is not my first manuscript. I started many different anecdotes and wrote almost three full novels before this story came into being. While the other books I wrote will never be published, they played a valuable role in my journey toward becoming an author.

Where It All Began: My 1st Novel

As a child, I wrote many small stories with messy drawings to accompany them. In middle school, I started developing my storytelling skills, going from scribbled scrap paper stories to fantasy worlds written in an orange spiral-bound notebook. It wasn’t until high school that my love for writing sparked my desire to become an author.

During high school, I finished my first novel, accompanied by pencil illustrations, poetry, and hand-drawn chapter headings. The story was about a young princess and her fire-bending traveling companion on the run from a gang of usurpers set on taking over the throne. About the length of a novella, the book had a simple plot, simple characters, and a lot of clichés. I was completely enthralled.

Yet when the book was finished, I didn’t feel satisfied. I found myself much more intrigued by the mysterious fire-bender than the main character.

So I wrote another book.

Spark to Flame: My 2nd Novel

Realizing that my high school story was lacking depth, I decided to pursue the fire-bending side character in his own tale. I looked to his past and asked myself, where did this character come from? How did he become the person he is now? So began the story of a young thief living in impoverished conditions. It was a tale of found magic, betrayal, and loss. His story was a fight for survival in a volatile environment.

My second book was written during a time in my life that was very difficult. I didn’t realize it at the time, but much of the distress going on in my very real world ended up reflected in my manuscript. The story was grim and full of anger, angst, and violence; a far cry from the princess story I’d written in high school. This story expanded my writing skills exponentially. I dove deep into the process, creating complex characters that were vivid in my mind. The finished book was over 80,000 words, much of which I wrote between college classes.

But I still wasn’t satisfied. Something was missing.

The characters were strong, I decided, but the plot was lacking. The worldbuilding and magic system had been carried over from my first manuscript, and it no longer fit the story I was trying to tell. So I placed the characters I loved in an entirely new story...

Searching for the Core:

My 3rd Novel

Using the characters from my second book, I took a different approach, exploring different points of view and writing styles. I wrote a complex magic system within a dystopian world. The characters were headstrong, and the plot was coming along nicely.

Then just over halfway through the manuscript, I hit a wall. It came unexpectedly, right when the plot was reaching a climax. I felt stuck. No matter what I tried, this book was getting me nowhere. While I struggled to dig the manuscript out of the mud, I realized that this story wasn't true to who I was as a writer. With some reluctance, I knew it was time to say goodbye.

Why a Failed Manuscript Isn't Always a "Failure"

Although it felt discouraging then, hitting a wall was the turning point I needed to discover who I was as a writer. It was then that I realized my writing needed something more. I had been rehashing the same story over and over again. It was time to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I asked myself why I wanted to be an author. What story was I trying to tell? What was it that I wanted to share with the world? Understanding the answers to these questions helped me create a vision for the kind of author I wanted to be. This gave me the direction I needed to bring out the heart and soul of my writing.

Discovering the Story's Heart:

My Debut Novel

So what made A Light Unseen different from the rest? The simple truth was this new story was one that came from the heart. Instead of rehashing old tropes and rewriting the same story, I delved into the very heart of bones of who I wanted to be as a writer. This brought out the best in my work, allowing me to flesh out a story rich with feeling and passion. My characters felt more real, my world-building felt more alive, and I was more committed to the story I was trying to tell.

Even if I could go back, I wouldn’t change the stories I wrote in the past. Mistakes and all, they were an important part of my growth and development as a writer, and they helped me through the different stages of my younger life. In the end, my failures made me stronger. I made mistakes, learned from them, and became a better writer as a result.