Here are 51 writing tips to inspire your own work
CBC Books | | Posted: November 3, 2017 2:44 PM | Last Updated: June 23, 2020
CBC Books has collected 51 writing tips that can help you produce that first draft of a book or novel, a submission for the CBC Literary Prizes or just help you write for yourself.
So get reading, get inspired and get writing!
Finding inspiration
- Pause for inspiration
- Stop looking and listen
- Get away from the noise
- Don't wait for inspiration, just write
- Be inspired by the ordinary
- Carry a notebook
- Get off your phone and into your own head
- Make friends with silence
- Be a good observer
Getting started
- Make time to write
- Write every day
- Set a daily word count and stick to it
- Find a routine and stick to it
- Don't just write what you know
- Just get something down
- Don't overthink it
- Write for yourself
- Ignore your inner critic
- Stay focused
- Even one line of hooey is okay
- Write freely, worry about editing later
- Find an anchor
- Embrace bad writing
- Read beyond your comfort zone
- Learn the craft
- Learn from others
- Write with attitude
- Don't throw anything out
Staying the course
- Hold yourself accountable
- Make the every day new again
- Focus on your main character
- Create believable characters
- Give your character motivation
- Give your character a sidekick
- Explore why your characters matter
- Feel like your writing has cabin fever? Get outside!
- Want to take your writing to the next level? Go deep
- Ask yourself, 'So what?'
- Feeling anxious about your writing? Procrastinate
- Only write what's necessary
- Get away from the internet
- Write with abandon
- Write from the heart
- Break the rules
- Embrace the desperation
Finishing strong
- Good writers know what they are good at — and what they need to work on
- Be a ruthless editor
- Be brave with your editing
- Read your work out loud
- Ignore the naysayers
- Share your story with the world