5 Top Tips for Aspiring Writers

Recently I was lucky enough to have my novel listed as the number 1 bestseller in Magical Realism on Amazon as well as the top 100 fantasy books list, and since then I’ve been getting a lot of questions about any advice I have for those looking to write books or stories in the future. I decided to compile my top tips in an article — and keep in mind, I’m not an expert, I’m still only 14, but I will try my best to make this helpful for you!

For context, you can check out my book here. It’s also available from most online book stores, and soon Indigo.

Here are my top 5 writing tips!

Tip 1: Notebooking is Key

A lot of people struggle to actually come up with ideas, which is evidently crucial for writing a book! What I like to do is notebook, and I’ve been doing this since grade three. This is where you go out and buy a small notebook you can easily carry around with you wherever you go (extra perks if it’s pocketable), and whenever you notice something intriguing, or extravagant, or interesting, jot it down. For example, the other day I saw a bright green party accessory floating over the road near our house on a rainy and dreary day, and I immediately made a note of it. What’s the story behind that party accessory? I wondered to myself. There could be an entire book rooted in that idea. Anything can be helpful! It can be very simple — as simple as seeing a funky outfit and describing it on paper. Maybe that could spark a bewildering character. The point is, little things can result in big ideas. Just one notebook and one pencil are all it takes.

I’m often asked how I balance writing and school. I actually don’t write during the year; I focus on my other projects in and outside of school, and in the summer I look at all my notes from my notebook and ideas will begin to flow. Then I get really excited about something and sit down for a month to write eagerly, nonstop. Now obviously that’s not the case for everyone — some people prefer to write over the year and everyone has different schedules, so do what works for you. Summer is my inspiration time, but it’s not everyone’s. Try things out and see what you like! Notebooking will be helpful regardless.

Tip 2: Seek Feedback and Be Anti-Fragile About It

I’ve written about this a few times in other articles, but I can’t stress it enough — seek feedback. Love harsh criticism. We tend to shy away from it, and we have a “monkey brain” where we want immediate affirmation that what we’re doing is perfect. What you write is not going to be perfect, though, and that’s okay. If it was perfect right off the bat…well, that’s not human! Seek feedback at every stage. Get people to give you brutal changes, because you want to put out the best version of your book.

Don’t be afraid of having to put in the work. If you’re really serious about pursuing writing you may consider a professional editor, and with editors, sometimes they may say recommend something that relates to altering a portion of the entire plotline — and you may think to yourself that’s a good idea, but it’ll take a ton of time and work. I’ve been there! Sometimes you just want to keep what you have because it’s the easiest thing to do, but if you do end up getting that book published you’ll always be wondering what if? What if I could’ve made that novel that much better? Self-edit at every stage of the game, and do take into consideration other peoples’ objective feedback because they’ll be amongst your readers, who you want to love your work.

Tip 3: Be Persistent

Number 3, and quite possibly the most important to me, is to be persistent. We hear that a lot and take it with a grain of salt but it’s crucial to always be aware of it. When we think of writing a book, oftentimes we just think of, well, writing the book. Drafting the manuscript. But there’s a whole lot more to it! Writing the book will of course take persistence, and will require you to get past mental blocks, and prioritize your project.

The time that I personally most needed persistence was during the publishing stage. I had previously written a novel that I had tried to get an agent for, and I got at least 60 rejections! I didn’t give up, though — in fact, that motivated me further. I went back to the drawing board, wrote another book, self-edited, got a professional edit, and queried agents and publishing houses once again, and this time, things went better for me! You’re lying to yourself if you try to say the writing process will be easy. It will by all means be a challenge, but don’t let it stress you out. Enjoy every step, because this is your time that you’re investing, so if you’re not being brought joy or value then there’s really no point!

Tip 4: Be Disciplined

Writing is an activity that you must develop discipline for. You’re going to need to set yourself a schedule that works for you. For me, that may be summer, but for you, you may have a job, or be caring for a family, etc. Lay out when and where you’re going to write, and be smart about it. Give yourself a time frame. It’s probably not the best idea to plan to write for two hours a day starting at midnight! Some people may write best early in the morning while others may be more productive in the afternoon. When you do write, though, do so in a quiet room without your cell phone near you, without notifications on — without distractions. In writing, you get super immersed in what you’re doing, and that Snap from your friend may throw you off your game.

Tip 5: Write What You Want to Read

What a lot of authors do is put in a ton of fluff just to make their book longer, or for the reason that they don’t know what else to do. But if there’s all that fluff, there’s no space for depth and connection, and readers likely won’t become captivated, which you want. Self-editing along the way will help ensure that what you’re writing makes sense. Many successful writers are big readers because they know what a good book looks like, and they know the elements that stand out to them. You can always start with short stories to force yourself to write something concise and interesting, and then go from there!

If you do have any questions, please reach out to me and I’ll do my best to respond! Remember, the next time you’re thinking about writing — notebook, seek feedback and be anti-fragile, be persistent, be disciplined, and write what you want to read!

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