When it comes to writing, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Each writer is unique. Your identity, life experiences, topics of interest, and more are all part of your writing journey. I’ve come to accept that not all writing advice will work for me, and that’s fine. I choose what I like, share what I can, and hope that the bits and pieces I’ve collected can be of use to someone else.
With that said, allow me to lend a helping hand. In this post, I’ve compiled some nuggets of wisdom from incredible authors who inspire me and have been kind enough to share some insights into the writing life.
Writing Advice 1: How Do You Plot a Psychological Thriller?
Not everyone wants or needs to keep track of their plot. But if you are writing a complex structure with plenty of strands and depth of subtext, at some point you will need to know where your story is going – and where it has been…read more.
Writing Advice 2: Tips to Write Great Characters and Plot
I always remind myself that the reader doesn’t need to know everything about the setting; they only need to visualize it well enough to get caught up in the story. At the same time, you don’t want to confuse your reader, so you need to be sure that you include enough detail for them to follow the path you’ve laid out without getting lost…read more.
Writing Advice 3: Want Writing Advice from an Internationally Bestselling Author?
Twists are so hard! Not so much coming up with them – because really, a twist doesn’t have to be all that groundbreaking. The trick is more in how you present them to the reader. Sometimes it’s a twist grounded in structure, other times a surprise in what happens or the identity of the villain. Either way, the trick is…read more.
Writing Advice 4: How Do Other Writers Cope with the Submission Process?
Craving the validation that comes with acceptance is a form of suffering, and not just in the writing life. The word submission has the double sense of offering our work up for scrutiny and consideration, but also of yielding to a higher authority. With eyes downcast and lowered heads we second-guess ourselves and our abilities…read more.
Writing Advice 5: Writing Tips from a Bestselling Author and Writing Guru
I would say all my stories deal with the struggle for dignity and decency – and love – in a world that prizes deceit, power, self-interest, and blame. And almost all my stories deal with one or more characters becoming a bit more brave, honest, and caring…read more.
Writing Advice 6: Why Do Some Thriller Books Read Like Movies?
Thriller books are known for their intense suspense and fast-paced action, making them a popular genre among readers who love a good adrenaline rush. In this article, we’ll explore four additional reasons why a cinematic writing style appeals to readers…read more.
Writing Advice 7: Want Writing Advice from a Thriller Author?
A thriller is all about pace, the relentlessness of action, and what-happens-next. Twists and turns galore. Suspense. A thriller can come in many guises: the psychological thriller, which transports us into dark minds; the spy thriller that takes you into the shadowy world of international espionage, the sci-fi and paranormal thrillers which take you into worlds other than our own, and…read more.
What writing advice has helped you in your journey? If you could give me one piece of writing advice, what would it be?
If you’re looking for a literary thriller set outside the West, and love books by authors like Lisa Gardner, Tana French, Jodi Picoult, Mary Kubica, Ruth Ware, Rachel Caine, Ivy Pochoda, Louise Penny or Harlan Coben, check out my literary crime novels, The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon on Kindle Unlimited now. Add to Goodreads or snag a copy to make my day !
And if you’d like to read a book outside the series, you can check out You Beneath Your Skin. Find all info about my books on my Amazon page or Linktree. If you have an Amazon account, a Follow will really help my ranking stay afloat.
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There’s so much that goes on before the story is done (and before even Chapter 1 starts), as you’ve shown here, Damyanti. I admire a good twist in a novel when I don’t see it coming. Sometimes I have to put the book down and try to wrap my head around it, which is a good sign!
The best writing advice I received early on was don’t even think about publication until you’re learned the craft. I found the advice incredibly liberating!
I couldn’t agree more! Writing with the thought of publishing may be motivating, and a good goal to work towards, but putting too much pressure on ourselves can be so detrimental to our writing process. It’s often such a relief to write something simply for the fun of it, without intending to show it to anyone.
That advice served me in good stead, for sure! That and being told I needed to actually learn the craft.
Getting GENRE-SPECIFIC advice is a great idea. Many successful authors put out books on writing, and you can read their advice and make it your own as many times as you need to by the expenditure of a few dollars to buy that writing book. Even if you only read PART of it ONCE, it’s definitely worth your TIME. You can get many from libraries, but they can’t keep up with all the writing advice books coming out, and you shouldn’t be scribbling in them!
I may write my own at some point. After spending more than a quarter of a century as a disabled author on a single trilogy, my advice for literary mainstream authors is bound to be different from a great many of the other books on the same themes.
Meanwhile, every time I figure something out, my liebjabberings blog gets another post.
Absolutely! Genre can change so much — writing style, tone, setting, character design, and more. Writing can be a complex business, and the process of figuring out what to apply where sometimes drives me a little bonkers. It’s so nice to be able to learn from fellow writers and to know that I’m not alone in struggling and floundering around. By interweaving the separate threads which I pick out of each piece of advice I’m given, I’ve been able to make sense of things much better than I could before. It’s great to hear that you’re thinking of writing your own book of author advice! You’re right — you have such a unique perspective on writing which many could learn from. And in the meantime, we get to tap into your wealth of knowledge via your platform!
All good advice, Damyanti! What’s your advice for persuading my Inner Me to listen???
My best advice, if you ask me personally, is to just say *&^% them, and move on. Take only the advice that resonates,if any at all, and trash the rest. Today, I found some very good confirmation of it: https://lithub.com/alice-mcdermotts-writing-mantra-ah-fuck-em/
Great tips and patterns, Damyanti. Your advice dovetails with my two writing rules. Rule #1: There are no rules, only writing principles. Rule #2: Don’t forget rule #1. Thanks for your many insights!
I’m glad you like them! And it’s nice to hear that they align with your writing philosophy, too. Thank you for stopping by!