5 Tricks That Will Make You A Better Writer Than 92% of Writers

Becoming a better writer can be done with as little as five additional tricks to your writing routine. 

While there are no shortcuts through the woods to mastering the art of writing there are a few tips and tricks that will give you an edge and set you apart from the majority of writers. 

Read Everything 

I thought this was an article about being a better writer! Why would I bother myself with reading? 

Well, I'm glad you asked. You know how most things are learned from watching someone who already knows how to do it? That's exactly why. 

If I wanted to learn to juggle I wouldn't just grab three similar objects and start tossing them in the air. 

I would watch videos from someone who already can juggle and see what techniques they have that I can apply to my own practice. 

Writing is the same. If you want to write better, learn from someone who is already a better writer than you and apply what you can to your own writing. 

Write Everyday 

Now now, don't go barking at me because I recently gave you the advice that you don't have to write every day to be a writer because it's true - you don't.

But if you want to be better than all the other writers out there you will. 

Writers write. Sure we complain about it, and act like we're being dragged by our collars to our writing spaces, but in the end, we write. 

Practice makes perfect and while there is no such thing as perfect writing or a perfect writer. That doesn't mean it won't hurt to try. 

Develop Habits and Rituals 

There is no better writing than flow-state writing. 

Flow state is when you sit down to write and the world disappears around you while the words seemingly flow out of you, sometimes faster than your hands can keep up. 

How do you get into a flow state?

When you first wake up in the morning you don't have to think about reaching for your phone you just automatically do it. 

When you go to the bathroom you don't have to think about whether or not you're going to brush your teeth you just automatically start reaching for the toothbrush. 

When it's time to write. It's time to write. 

Build yourself a writing routine the same as your morning one to the point where it becomes a habit. 

When you come home from work you change into your house clothes, grab a glass of water, and then sit down to write. 

Do this every day, if you skip one day that's fine, but never skip two in a row. 

Eventually, you won't have to decide if you're going to write, you'll just walk through the door, follow the steps, and write. 

Experiment 

The first time you followed a recipe for chocolate chip cookies they came out good so every time you want to have chocolate chip cookies you go and get that same recipe and make your good cookies again. 

But we don't want good cookies, we want great cookies, we want better cookies. 

We want to be better writers. 

So the next time you make cookies you swap out half of the white sugar for brown sugar and the time after that you change it from milk chocolate chips to semi-sweet. You keep changing things up experimenting with different things until you find the best cookie. Some days you'll randomly put butterscotch in them and throw out the whole batch, but you'll still try something new next time now that you know what doesn't work. 

How can this be applied to writing?

Write your novels in first person, second, or even third, write in the present tense and then in the past. Experiment with your writing until you find what works best for you and your stories. 

Seek Feedback, Don't Wait For It 

When your book is already on the shelves and in your reader's hands, it's too late for you to receive meaningful feedback because as much as we love them - you could have written the best teenage love story since Twilight, but your reader went through a bad breakup while reading it and so her review comes out telling you that your female main character never should have trusted the boy next door because he'll only break her heart. 

Before your book is published you need to seek feedback from other writers and reviewers who will give you helpful and constructive feedback such as helping you identify holes both large and small holes in your plot, weaknesses in your writing, and general areas you can improve before your books hit the shelves. 

You're going to have to get out of your comfort zone a bit and go knocking on your friend's door with a bottle of their drink of choice and ask them to be as brutally honest as a reader on a rampage with your novel. 

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Becoming a better writer is not a practice that will happen overnight, but with time, practice, and dedication you can see monumental improvements to your writing skills when you adapt the above tips and tricks to fit your writing needs. 

Best of luck! 

Go write! 

With love, 

B.K. xo xo

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This story was originally posted on Medium.

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