Are you a new writer searching for inspiration to write your first (or next) book? Perhaps you’re a seasoned writer hoping for motivation to face your next project.
I got you. I interviewed several authors and am sharing their best advice for new authors…and yes, these tips for new writers apply even if you’ve been writing for years.
Tips For New Writers On Managing Expectations
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Don’t worry about the shoulds. There are too many of them. Get your story out of your heart and onto the paper and then find people to help you refine it so that you can share it with others. – Cali Black, author of The Game
Don’t let the rat race of publishing steal your joy. If you’re writing for God’s glory and your own joy, keep that focus and just find joy in the journey (even if the journey takes a long time). Also, write. Daydreaming is great, but you can’t publish a blank page. – Pepper Basham, author of Positively, Penelope
Tips For New Writers On Personal Development
Journal—and keep them. That was never encouraged in my childhood, but I liked to write and never kept my work. My four granddaughters now journal and it’s a fascinating glimpse into their precious lives. – Susan G Mathis, author of Mary’s Moment
Don’t worry about what other people do. This is something I had to learn (still am) and write a story you are passionate about. Work at it on your own pace and keep learning and growing in your craft.– Havelah McLat, author of When You Returned
Write and read as much as possible. The more you do both, the better you become. – Natasha D. Frazier, author of The Wrong Seat
Keep writing. Keep reading. Keep learning. And, if you have the chance to learn from another writer, jump at the chance! – Danielle Grandinetti, author of Confessions to a Stranger
Learn, practice, and pray. Be studying the art and science of writing, and research and learn all you can! And the best way to learn is to practice what you read and discover. Write and write and write some more to continue growing! Above all else, though, pray. Seek the Lord on what He wants you to write and how He wants you to go about it. He has a plan for you and your stories, so invite Him into the process and watch Him work! – Grace A. Johnson, author of Held Captive
Read a lot then write a lot. That’s the basics of learning craft.– Sarah Monzon, author of All’s Fair in Love and Christmas
Get the first draft down on paper, but don’t show it to anyone yet. Learn how to edit, and do the best to edit your story first. Join a critique group with other authors. Once you have a well-edited draft, then it’s time to reach out to an editor or publisher. And read, read, read. You’ll find out what works and what doesn’t work. – Karen Malley, author of Moonlight and Mystery
There’s a lot to learn. Don’t be in a rush. Take time to learn the craft and the business of writing. Attend conferences and join critique groups. Make connections. Never give up no matter how long it takes. Above all, pray, pray, pray. – Diana Leagh Matthews, author of Carol of the Rooms
Tips For New Writers On Writing
Just write. You can pick up all the tools that make you a better writer along the way. A common saying among writers is, “You can’t edit an empty page.” – Judith McNees, author of A Heart to Redeem
The advice I give people over and over is to just get the story down on the page. It will most likely be terrible, sure, but it will be DONE. You will learn from your mistakes. Then move on, write something new. Apply the lessons you have learned. Keep doing this and you will find the words come easier and that each story will be better than the last. – Ash Oldfield, author of The Rachaya Series
Have fun with it! There are moments that writing is just plain hard so cherish the joyous times. – Toni Shiloh, author of The Love Script
Tips For New Writers On Finding Your Voice
Keep writing every day to find your voice. Everything you write can be repurposed later, so go ahead and start today! – Sarah Geringer, author of Hidden Manna on a Country Road: Seeing God’s Daily Provision All around Us
Write what you want, and don’t worry about publishing it. I didn’t publish until my 4th manuscript. Those first books aren’t terrible, and I may pick them up again, clean them up, and publish them. But what I loved was that I wrote for me a few times before I worried about what the market wants. I found the joy in writing before I ever considered making money with my books. – Kate Condie, author of A Winter’s Vow
Tips For New Writers On Marketing
I would tell them to first spend time learning the writing craft so you can write the best book possible. Then spend time building a readership. Because if you find the readers who love what you do, they will continue to purchase your books. – Vanessa Miller, author of The Light on Halsey Street
Make sure you love the story and are writing the book you are passionate about. If you’re writing to publish, writing to market is important, but if you aren’t passionate about your story, your characters, your book–your audience won’t be either. So write first for the glory of God which should translate into writing what you love.- Tawni Suchy, author of When Forever Comes
Aren’t these tips great? As with any (writing) advice, it might not work for you. But unless you test it and analyze the results, you’ll never know. It’s also important to note how many author stress reading, writing, and learning craft. If you don’t try any of the other tips, do these three:
- Read a lot.
- Write a lot.
- Learn a lot.
I’d also like to add, “Fail fast’. Don’t think of failure as something negative. Instead, you’ve learned how not to do something and can move on to the next item on the list.
I’d love to hear from you: which tip do you plan to implement or what would you add to this list?
