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Stephen King has published over 65 novels and sold over 400 million copies.
That makes him one of the most successful authors of all time.
Luckily for us, he has also shared a bunch of thoughts on the craft of writing.
Here are his top 12 tips for writers:
🧵
That makes him one of the most successful authors of all time.
Luckily for us, he has also shared a bunch of thoughts on the craft of writing.
Here are his top 12 tips for writers:
🧵
1. Cut The Fluff
In fiction, people want to know what happens next.
In non-fiction, people want to extract value from the content.
Fluffing it up with meaningless tangents will hurt you.
Remove the fluff without removing any artfulness.
In fiction, people want to know what happens next.
In non-fiction, people want to extract value from the content.
Fluffing it up with meaningless tangents will hurt you.
Remove the fluff without removing any artfulness.
2. Cut The Adverbs
Adverbs are a classic form of fluff.
You should usually cut them out and replace them with a better word.
For example:
“Very angry” = “Furious”
Adverbs are a classic form of fluff.
You should usually cut them out and replace them with a better word.
For example:
“Very angry” = “Furious”
3. Let Failure Fuel You
This is more of a mindset one.
Failure is inevitable for everyone, and for writers, it’s constant.
Don’t let it beat you down.
Use it as motivational fuel.
This is more of a mindset one.
Failure is inevitable for everyone, and for writers, it’s constant.
Don’t let it beat you down.
Use it as motivational fuel.
4. Write The First Draft For You
Though you should write to give value to your audience, the first draft is more of a solitary experience.
Get into flow, write as much as you can, and try not to think about the outside world until later.
Though you should write to give value to your audience, the first draft is more of a solitary experience.
Get into flow, write as much as you can, and try not to think about the outside world until later.
5. Edit For Your Audience
The editing stage is when you should be completely audience-focused.
Remove anything that isn’t relevant to the story.
Cut fluffy words and sections.
Distill what you created into something with higher impact.
The editing stage is when you should be completely audience-focused.
Remove anything that isn’t relevant to the story.
Cut fluffy words and sections.
Distill what you created into something with higher impact.
6. Use Simple Words
A confused reader is an unhappy reader.
Don’t try to outsmart them.
Write in words they can understand.
A confused reader is an unhappy reader.
Don’t try to outsmart them.
Write in words they can understand.
7. Use Line Breaks To Reduce Difficulty
Dense paragraphs are difficult to read.
Frequent line breaks make writing easier to consume.
Adjust your usage of breaks for how consumable you want your writing to be.
Dense paragraphs are difficult to read.
Frequent line breaks make writing easier to consume.
Adjust your usage of breaks for how consumable you want your writing to be.
8. Tell The Truth
You’re never gonna make it as a writer if you’re afraid to tell the truth.
So tell the truth.
Even if it might ruffle a few people’s feathers.
You’re never gonna make it as a writer if you’re afraid to tell the truth.
So tell the truth.
Even if it might ruffle a few people’s feathers.
9. Read More
Almost all the great writers throughout history were voracious readers.
Read more, and analyze what you read from a writer's perspective.
This will upgrade your writing skills.
Almost all the great writers throughout history were voracious readers.
Read more, and analyze what you read from a writer's perspective.
This will upgrade your writing skills.
10. Discover, Don’t Create
Don’t think of writing as creating something.
Think of it as discovering and channeling something that already exists.
This mindset might sound odd, but King and many other great writers endorse it.
Don’t think of writing as creating something.
Think of it as discovering and channeling something that already exists.
This mindset might sound odd, but King and many other great writers endorse it.
11. Write To Your Ideal Reader
Every piece of writing should have an ideal reader.
Identify that person, then write and edit for them.
Write to one person, not many.
Every piece of writing should have an ideal reader.
Identify that person, then write and edit for them.
Write to one person, not many.
12. Try To Write Daily
The most important tip of all is to write daily or close to it.
That’s because practice teaches you 10x more than study.
Pick a time and place to write daily, then execute.
No shortcuts.
The most important tip of all is to write daily or close to it.
That’s because practice teaches you 10x more than study.
Pick a time and place to write daily, then execute.
No shortcuts.
That's all of them.
If you want to learn more about building content-focused income streams, follow us @copyblogger and click below to get a free training for online writers:
copyblogger.com/
If you want to learn more about building content-focused income streams, follow us @copyblogger and click below to get a free training for online writers:
copyblogger.com/
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Charles Miller @writingtoriches
·
Nov 4, 2022
Lot of gold in this Great thread