I receive many emails and questions on social media asking for advice on how to become a writer. Here are a few suggestions that have worked for me.
Dangerous Lies
- Read! One of the most helpful things I've found for my own writing is to read . . . a lot. Reading a great book, makes me want to write. Reading is like candy for your brain. Honestly, I believe the best way to learn good storytelling is to get lost in a good story.
- Journal! When I was a teen, I wrote in my journal almost every night. Many of my experiences have shaped my characters and the situations they go through. Don't be afraid to put a little of you into your characters, give them your flaws and struggles - this is often what makes them authentic.
- Join a critique group! My own writing really went to the next level when I joined a writers' group. You pour your heart into your work and it can be scary to hand it over - but gathering feedback is so incredibly helpful if you want to improve.
- Eavesdrop! For me one of the best ways to write teen dialogue is to listen to teens talk. Hang out at a coffee shop, the movie theater, or listen, really listen, to how your friends/friend's children talk to each other. Then recreate similar conversations between your characters.
- Ask yourself, What if? Sometimes I am tempted to write the first thing that comes to mind. But really great stories go deeper than that. Constantly challenge yourself by imagining characters and worlds and plots that delve below the surface. What if my character isn't human, but an angel? What if my character acts stuck up and aloof because she's hiding a terrible secret? What if my character discovers her boyfriend killed three girls? Half of writing is flexing your imagination.
Good luck and happy writing!
Dangerous Lies is the thrilling new novel from bestselling author of the Hush, Hush series, Becca Fitzpatrick. In shops now!
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