5 June, 2020 By Chelsea Parker

Top 10 Writing Tips For New Writers

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Simple tricks and tips for new writers who are stuck!

Feeling stuck and not sure how to get your writing career moving? Here are some of our biggest writing tips for beginners and anyone who may be stuck (and we have a writing toolkit!) .

Ah, writer’s block. If you’ve been there, you just know. When you’re a new writer, writing a short story or full book, it’s so easy to become overwhelmed by writing in general – wondering where to begin and staring at that dreaded blank page. Trust me; there is good news here. We’ve outlined in this article the top 10 tips and tricks to help new writers get started and overcome writer’s block. Keep reading to learn more about these tips – start writing in better quality and more often today!

1. Outline Your Writing

Number 1 of our writing tips is to outline. No matter what writing level you think you’re at, outlining is always a great first step towards writing an amazing article or book. Jumping head-first into a writing project without a decent roadmap could potentially ruin your project before it even begins. And without an outline, you might start out strong, but you’ll probably find yourself stuck after the introduction. Whether you scratch up a few quick blurbs or you carefully organize your entire piece, an outline will help you in the long run.

2. Commit To Writing Every Day

It might seem daunting, but the more you write, the better you will get at it. Whether you are doing freelance writing jobs or you’re working on chapters of your own novel, try to write at least once every day. This is actually one of the very first steps you should take to become a professional writer. Though writing can be hard work, it’s even harder to improve your writing skills if you aren’t doing it every day. Some of the best writers understand that they need to force themselves through the tough days in order to build more confidence in writing skills.

3. Read A Lot!

It’s difficult to find a writer who isn’t an avid reader as well. Read a lot, and read anything you can get your hands on! If anything, it’s an inspiration for your next writing project. Don’t just read – highlight and underline your favorite passages and quotes for future inspiration!

4. Further Your Education

By this, I don’t mean you need to take multiple college classes and stress yourself out even more. There are so many options for writers who are looking to further press on with their creative writing education. There are tons of both free and paid classes and certifications online – it’s a quick Google search away. You can also check out your local college and look for extension courses through writing programs. If you haven’t taken a writing course since high school, that’s okay! There are so many options out there available to new and experienced writers alike.

5. Explore Different Ways Of Writing

Brush up on different styles of writing when you feel like you have a severe case of writer’s block. For example, if you are working on a difficult blog article, take a break and write about something fictional (whatever you want)! Or, if you’re working on a long novel, consider writing a short blog article about something you’re interested in. Though you might gravitate towards only one style of writing, you should still continue to explore other areas. Take time to write in areas you’re not familiar with – this will ultimately help your writing strengthen, and it can be a great way to develop your voice.

6. Always Edit Carefully

Editing, rewriting, and adding new parts to your writing is probably one of the most important steps in the writing process. And the great thing about editing is that it’s versatile. You can take breaks from writing and go through your piece with a fine-toothed comb, or you can write an entire piece and go over it after it’s done. Either way, editing is key to presenting any writing style in a professional manner. It not only ensures that you are producing a quality piece, but it helps you follow your most common mistakes and learn from them.

7. Create A Peaceful Place To Write

Your writing “home” may be at a desk or in an office, or even on the couch with a lap desk. Wherever you decide to write, create zen in that area. This might mean you need to take some time to seriously clean up and organize your work station. Having a cluttered workspace leads to distractions, anxiety, and overall feelings of frustration. Now is a great time to tighten up those loose ends and create a workspace that will benefit your writing, not take away from it. 

8. “You Can Fix Anything But A Blank Page.” – Nora Roberts

Simply put, you need to just write. It might sound like actually putting pen to paper is a recurring theme in this article, but it’s one of the truest statements to writers of every experience level. Just write. When you’re done, you can choose if you want to keep the piece, edit it, or trash it. But you can’t fix a blank page.

9. Make Sure To Journal

A great solution to writer’s block, and another one of our writing tips, is to simply let your thoughts flow in a personal journal. This is an amazing way to practice free-writing – a style of writing with no real form or function, just thoughts on paper. Journaling can help you clear your mind, relieve stress, and boost creativity. In addition to writing down thoughts and feelings, include interesting daily dialogues that might serve as future inspiration. Journaling is a surefire way to become an expert in writing. 

10. Always Remember Why You Love Writing

The daily grind of writing can become redundant and absolutely tiring. But, there is still a reason why you got into it in the first place. You realized you have this talent and it’s something you are great at doing, even though there may be ‘dull’ days. Always take time to remind yourself that you are a great writer, and that you can accomplish anything when you put your mind to the task. You love writing; you just need an extra push sometimes.

Final Thoughts

Do you want to become an expert in writing? Follow the tips listed above. But remember, all of these tips are malleable, and you can complete them however you see fit. Becoming an expert writer doesn’t happen overnight – you need to put in daily dedication to the process and work your way towards becoming the best at your own abilities. From there, everything will start to flow naturally. We get it, writer’s block happens to the best of us. Remember to always take time for yourself and brainstorm – this will help get you back in the groove. The steps to success are already there inside of you – you just need to practice them more often!