I am very pleased to have author Kate Murdoch offer her insight into becoming a better writer on this guest post. Kate is the author of Stone Circle a historical fantasy novel.
Guest Post:
- Read widely and often
The more diverse your reading the better – research books, different genres, authors you’ve never tried before. Go outside your comfort zone and watch as it influences your own expression.
- Declutter your prose
It sounds basic, but this is, for me, the most crucial point. Are your sentences pared back enough? Have you cut adverbs, ‘that’, and ‘was’ as much as possible? Extraneous words are your enemy and must be annihilated. Clarify your sentences. Better to be plain and make sense than be clever and confusing.
- Beta readers
Join beta reading groups, either online or in real life. These readers will be professional, unbiased and possibly quite blunt. But this is what you need. To see your work exactly as it is, not what you wish it to be.
- Watch people and observe them
It sounds cold, but it’s important to watch others, truly observe them. How do they express themselves when they’re upset or jubilant? Eavesdrop on conversations, make up potential stories about people you see in the street. Observe your own emotions — how do they manifest physically? What kinds of thoughts go through your mind? You own reactions will be the resource you will use the most. Continue reading “10 Tips for Becoming a Better Writer by Kate Murdoch”