Writers’ secrets: how to become a good author

Before becoming a writer, you have to be a reader.

You cannot do without it. You can’t write poems if you haven’t read any poetry. You can’t write an epic novel with war actions if all that you’ve read before is romantic stories. Every genre and every style has hidden rules, hidden clichés and hidden opportunities. You have to understand what you are writing before you start writing.

Moreover, the more widely-read you are, the more original your story will be. If all that you’ve read are fantasy novels and you decide to write one yourself, it probably will not turn out to be very original. If you add the elements from other genres, it may make it fresh and new. And the greatest thing here is that you don’t need to work hard to follow this rule; all you need to do is to relax, to read and to enjoy it.

Know your audience.

A book for teenagers is one thing; a book for adults is another. Think about your target audience and make it clear to yourself. You have to know exactly who are you writing for.

Kill the adverbs.

Adverbs are describing words that usually don’t add anything to your writing. Your context should be strong enough so people can understand everything without adverbs. I learnt this from my friend who works as an editor and writer for the essay writing service EssayJedii.com. She is an experienced writer and she says that adverbs are among the first enemies of a writer.

Write simple.

You can write a complicated modern novel with different layers and numerous metaphors which will make many teachers and professors happy, but you should look for the easiest way to express your ideas. Avoid metaphors that can be too confusing for majority of people. I’m not saying you shouldn’t use them at all, just take it easy and don’t overuse them.

Make a plan first, and then work on your draft.

We all know that you are a genius. But someone much smarter that you and me once said that genius is 1% of inspiration and 99% of persistence. It means that you should plan first, then make drafts, reared and work on them as many times as you need. Planning is something more than just saying "I’m gonna write a story about a knight!" or "I am going to create an article about a global warming". Planning means researching, gathering facts, learning the subjects, etc. There are many ways of planning, try to find the most suitable for you.

Don’t listen to your friends, listen to the critics.

Ok, we all feel blue sometimes and we need some encouragement. In these moments, we need friendly support and love. However, if you want to improve your writing skills, you have to learn how to handle criticism. You also need to understand when criticism is reasonable and when it is just the matter of taste. Nothing will teach you better than good criticism and the belief in your own abilities. If someone tells you that your sentences are too long and you could make more paragraphs from your text, maybe you shouldn’t claim that it is your style.

Write what you know.

I mean, if you are a biologist with 10 years of experience, maybe it is a good idea to write something using your biology knowledge. It doesn’t have to be closely connected to biology; it is enough if you only mention it in the context of the main scenes. You shouldn’t try to write boring details of a police work in a homicide department, for example. If you are only 13 and all you know is school, think of what makes you special. Maybe, your father is a priest. Maybe, you were adopted. Maybe, your friend sincerely believes in UFO and calls you every night to watch the nearby field in hopes to see something. Write about what’s close to you.

Always check your grammar and spelling.

You don’t have to be a linguist and know all the rules. But you need to know the basic ones, e. g. how to use apostrophes, commas, columns, etc. There are many guides on the Internet. So if you are not sure about something, you should better check.

Adam Cameron is a full time writer and editor. He enjoys reading, travelling and spending time with smart people.