I recently saw a Facebook post from a friend of mine stating/asking the following:
“Artists work on art and show progress of how they have improved. How do writers enhance their craft?”
I like to run my mouth, so I added my own comment to the dozens of comments on the thread.
It was so good, I thought I’d whip it into a blog post and share it with all of you.
So here are 7 Ways Professional Writers Improve their Craft:
1. Practice. Write often, write consistently.
The old adage applies perfectly: “practice makes perfect.” Truth be told, I’ve never met a “perfect” writer or read a “perfect” book, but I’ve seen many authors and books who come close.
Only by practicing can you hope to master the skills and techniques you’ll learn as you’re engaging in #2 on this list, which is…
2. Study the craft of writing.
Get books that teach you how to do it better, take classes, and examine what successful authors are doing with their work to make it stand out (meaning read a lot). Here’s a list of my favorite books on the craft of writing (affiliate links):
1. Plot and Structure, by James Scott Bell
2. Writing Fiction for Dummies, by Randy Ingermanson
3. The Snowflake Method, by Randy Ingermanson
4. How to Write a Dynamite Scene Using the Snowflake Method, by Randy Ingermanson
5. The Art of War for Writers, by James Scott Bell
6. Fight Write: How to Write Believable Fight Scenes, by Carla Hoch
I don’t have a college degree in writing or editing. My degree is in Pastoral Studies. Everything I know about writing/editing/publishing, I learned from reading craft books, taking courses online and at writers conferences, practicing to apply what I learned, and getting feedback from people farther along than me.
Which, incidentally, is #3 on this list…
3. Get critiqued by people who are better than you.
Either pay for a pro edit, coaching, or find someone willing to invest in you/mentor you to help you get better. Yes, this often costs money, but take it from someone who has been on both sides of this discussion: paying some money up front saves you a lot of time in the long run.
Critique groups are also useful up to a point, but eventually you’ll outgrow them and will need to move up in the world to get critiqued by someone more capable and experienced than other writers who are more or less at your level.
And once you’ve gotten that crucial feedback from your peers and from pros…
4. Practice some more.
Somewhere on the internet, I read a simple but important quote that sums up everything you need to know about being a writer:
“Writers write.”
It’s two words, but it implies so much. If you’re a writer and you’re not writing, then are you really a writer?
Get your butt in the chair and write. And once you’re done with your manuscript…
5. Revise as if it isn’t your work.
Pretend it’s someone else’s manuscript, and be ruthless with yourself. “Kill your darlings.” Cut waste words. Streamline and beautify your prose.
Make sure your plot and structure are on point, and make sure your characters are lively and colorful. Make sure your story world is vibrant and interesting, and make sure your story moves forward and doesn’t stagnate because of backstory and info-dumping. Riddle your tale with conflict and tension.
Then, when you’ve got everything ready to go, you have to take that final step, which leads us to #6…
6. Publish.
If you don’t take this step, you can’t properly gauge your progress. Readers are the ultimate deciders. They’ll let you know via reviews if you’ve succeeded or not.
Waiting for a traditional contract for your book or series? That’s fine. Publish something else.
Create an ongoing story to send out to your email newsletter subscribers. Publish short stories online. Rewrite your website bio as if it’s a wild fictional tale.
Then share it with actual readers of your genre (not your mom or your best friend), with strangers who will give you honest and even anonymous feedback.
Then, when it’s all said and done, move on to #7.
7. Repeat.
What do you think of these 7 Ways Professional Writers Improve their Craft? What would you add to the list? Share your comments below.