I’ve been writing novels since the age of 7, so I’ve learned a thing or two—often the hard way—about what makes a story work… or fall flat on its face.
What you’re about to read is a very condensed collection of lessons I’ve learned over the past decade-plus of writing fiction—everything from the best way to hook a reader, to the worst pacing mistake I made in my early books, to the key ingredient that makes some dystopian stories stand above the rest. Whatever genres you write, however long you’ve been doing this, I think you’ll find something useful—or at least mildly entertaining—among these 30 writing tips.
1. Self-Doubt
If you think your writing isn’t good enough, you’re right. But you also couldn’t be more wrong. No one can write your specific story but you, so out of all the writers who’ve ever lived, you’re the best equipped to write this one. While self-doubt can stand in the way of progress, it can also be a positive sign that you’re writing a story that pushes you to your creative limits. And self-doubt is something all writers experience. John Steinbeck wrote this while drafting one of his books, “I am assailed with my own ignorance and inability… This book has become a misery to me because of my inadequacy.”
What book was he writing? Well, you may have heard of it. It’s called The Grapes of Wrath, and it won a Pulitzer Prize.
2. Book Ideas
If someone says your book idea won’t work, you should probably ignore them. Any idea, no matter how bad it appears at first glance, can be turned into a great story if there’s enough passion and skill behind it. The pitches for most Pixar movies sound absurdly weird and bad, but were turned into stellar films. That said, there is such a thing as a bad idea for a book. Some ideas are better suited for different mediums or lengths, and shouldn’t be stretched into a novel. Some ideas are incredibly cliched. Watch my video on cliches for how to avoid that. But any idea, no matter how strange or small it might seem, can be the seed of a great story.
3. Research
When writing, research is important, but it can also be your worst enemy. Focus on completing your first draft, doing a bare minimum of research for important plot details. (For instance, I needed to research quantum physics to figure out how the central mechanism of quantum mind control would work in my sci-fi book Catalyst of Control.) But other than the most essential elements, leave research for the second draft. Don’t get sucked into a research rabbit hole while you’re getting the story out initially. Because if you do fall down that rabbit hole, you may never come out. And neither will your book.
4. Dialogue Tags
Dialogue tags, like “said,” “asked,” and “replied,” don’t matter as much as you think they do. You should be able to communicate everything you need to about what a character is feeling, or how they’re speaking, with their words and maybe some surrounding description. Try writing a scene with no dialogue tags. This is also a good test of how distinct your characters’ voices are. Even if there are five characters talking, a reader should be able to figure out who’s who solely based on their dialogue. Easier said than done, I know. But that’s the kind of distinct character writing you should aim for.
5. Why You Write
Here’s why it’s so important to know why you write. If you don’t have a good reason to write your story—it could be as simple as enjoyment, or it could be a profound message you want to share—you won’t be able to see a novel through to the end, or even a short story. Remind yourself of your why—what inspired you in the first place, and why this story matters to you specifically—and you’ll write with greater ease and enthusiasm.
6. Opening Lines
The opening lines of a book are important, but don’t stress about them too much in the first draft. Once you’ve at least finished the first chapter—or even once you’ve finished the entire first draft—then you can go back and edit the opening to perfection. A great opening strikes intrigue, matches the book’s tone, and gives the reader a promise of what’s to come. Take the first line of the dystopian classic 1984 as an example, “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” Thirteen? Now I’m interested.
7. Writing Environment
If you’re having trouble writing, try changing up your environment. Write at a different time of day, or in a different location, like a coffee shop, library, or park. If you listen to music when you write, try writing without any. And if you usually don’t listen to music while you write… try it for a change. You can also try standing to write instead of sitting. You might be surprised how changing your surroundings gets your creativity flowing again.
8. Info-Dumping
When introducing readers to your story’s world, avoid info-dumping at all costs. Info-dumping is dropping paragraphs of pure exposition into the narrative. It disrupts the flow of the story, and can be overwhelming and, frankly, annoying. Instead, only give your readers the information they absolutely need, when they need it. Don’t pause the action to explain the intricacies of your fictional government; show its visible effects on the plot and characters. Your readers don’t need, or want, every detail of your worldbuilding spelled out for them.
9. Writing Mystery
When writing a mystery, make the truth the most dramatically interesting of the possibilities. Red herrings should lead to intriguing false solutions, but none should be more satisfying than the actual reveal. Readers will feel let down otherwise.
10. Using Color
If you’re writing a story, color could be an underused secret weapon in your tool kit. Even in the written word, color can convey theme subtly and expressively. Try tying a color to a specific idea by intentionally using that color whenever the idea appears in the story. For instance, in my upcoming sci-fi novel Catalyst of Control, green represents the central theme of control. Whenever a green object or environment is introduced, you can bet it has something to do with the protagonist’s pursuit of control.
11. Flashbacks
If you’re not careful, flashbacks in your story can end up feeling out of place, confusing, or, worst of all, irrelevant. How do you avoid that? By using triggers. In the real world, flashbacks are triggered by certain sights, sounds, and smells that remind us of something from the past. Using a trigger to lead into a flashback creates connective tissue that can also draw parallels between past and present.
12. Character Descriptions
You might be describing your characters the wrong way. It’s easy to overload your readers with paragraphs of detailed physical description, which not only grinds the story to a halt, but also is insulting to your readers’ imaginations. Or you might make the mistake of giving no character description at all, making them a blank, featureless cutout. Of course, part of this comes down to personal style. But in general, it’s best to provide a few standout details about a character, and leave the rest for your readers to fill in themselves.
13. Writing Dystopian Stories
Here’s the reason some dystopian stories work, and others feel like a depressing slog. You can create a rich, nightmarish dystopia for your readers to delve into, but if your story doesn’t have an element of hope, it’ll all feel meaningless and depressing. Even in stories with a dark ending, hope gives contrast and shape to the story’s arc. Yes, your dystopian story should explore dark places, but don’t make it one note. Hope in the darkness keeps things interesting.
14. Originality
There’s no such thing as an original story. So stop trying to write one. Look, the pursuit of new, creative ideas is a worthy one. But even the most ‘original’ stories are remixes of existing elements. So worry less about originality, and more about writing a story that matters to you.
15. Worldbuilding
How much worldbuilding is too much worldbuilding? Here’s how to know if you’ve gone too far—because believe me, you can. You should stop just a little past the point of relevancy to your characters. So if you find yourself asking a question that’ll have no bearing whatsoever on the plot or your protagonist, you've ventured into worldbuilding territory that's no longer necessary to fully flesh out. Not every question about your story's world needs to be answered; just the relevant ones.
16. Experimenting
How do you really become a better writer? They say it’s by simply writing a lot. Which is true. But how do you improve more rapidly as a writer? By experimenting. Not just writing a lot, but writing in a lot of different genres and styles. Challenge yourself. Just like in any other area of life, you’ll grow faster as a writer by constantly breaking outside your comfort zone.
17. Plotting vs. Pantsing
There’s a long-standing division in the writing community between plotters and pantsers, those with an outline and those without. But how important is plotting, really? It’s arguably a must for genres like murder mysteries, where a loose plot is a recipe for plot holes and angry readers. But for genres like fantasy, letting your imagination direct the story as you write can be a good way to go. It just might need a bit more polishing in editing.
18. Writing Frequency
Do you need to write every day? If you’re worried that missing a day, a week, a month, or even a year of writing your book makes you a lesser writer… relax. You don’t have to write every day to be a writer. At least, I sure hope not, because I don’t write every day. Still, it’s a good habit to aim for. Try to be consistent, but it’s not the end of the world if you can’t be.
19. Action Sequences
Here’s why some action sequences are exciting and dynamic, while others are flat and forgettable. Great action sequences build layers of action and obstacles for their characters. Progressively adding levels of difficulty and complicated character dynamics naturally gives the action an arc of rising tension. You can do this by including more than one antagonist, or by attacking your protagonist from multiple angles at the same time through their environment, or even their own psychology. As a rule of thumb, the worse you can make the situation for your characters, the better. It’ll make the resolution all the more satisfying.
20. First Chapter Mistakes
Here’s what to avoid in your book’s first chapter, if don’t you want your readers to abandon your story after page 1. Exposition dumps. Usually, these are annoying and unnecessary. A dream sequence. Just get straight into the actual plot. An ordinary day. That’s just boring, unless your story’s world is vastly different from ours. Unnecessary setup. No need for a lengthy prologue. Get straight to the action, and your protagonist, as soon as possible.
21. Want vs. Need
The single most important thing to know about your main character is what they want, and how that differs from what they need. This underlying tension between what your protagonist thinks they need—like fame or power—and what they truly need—like empathy for others or to overcome their fear—creates internal conflict, adding a layer of depth and meaning to any kind of story.
22. Pacing
One common mistake new writers make, my younger self included, is misunderstanding pacing. Constant action with no room to breathe makes for a rushed, constricted story. On the other hand, dragging out the plot and spending too much time on unnecessary details makes for a mind-numbing read. Instead, try to follow the structure of action, reaction, action, reaction. Include small moments between the big ones, and you’ll have a more dynamic, well-paced story.
23. Chapter Endings
Here’s how to make your book unputdownable. You might think every chapter should end with a cliffhanger, right? Not necessarily; that can get repetitive. Instead, to keep your readers turning the page, end each chapter with a question. It doesn’t have to be overdramatic; all you need to do is leave your reader with an unanswered question, small or big. They’ll want to keep reading to resolve that question, and then the next, and the next, and… you get it.
24. Writing a Series
Here’s how to avoid some of the worst mistakes writers make when writing a series. Continuity is important; readers will notice if you’ve abandoned plot threads or forgotten worldbuilding details. With a project as large as a series, it’s helpful to create a series bible or a personal wiki that contains info on all your characters, locations, and plot details. You can use apps like Notion or Scrivener, your own website, or even a well-organized binder. Build a searchable system, keep track of key details, and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches when writing your series.
25. Inspiration
Where do you find inspiration to write? Often, finding inspiration can be as simple as going for a walk, particularly some place you’ve never been. Art—anything from music to films to paintings—can be quite inspiring. In fact, I find it helpful to look well beyond the realm of the written word for writing inspiration. Novelty can be key to sparking new ideas. So if you’ve found yourself lacking inspiration, go out of your way to discover something new—a new street to walk down, a new piece of art to marvel at, a new genre of story to explore. I’d love to hear where you find inspiration in the comments.
26. The First Chapter
This is how to write a first chapter that hooks readers. A great first chapter introduces the three P’s: the protagonist (an interesting character), the problem (the protagonist’s internal and external conflict), and the premise (the unique way the protagonist will handle the problem). Conflict is the heart of story, so try to introduce it on page one. It doesn’t have to be explosive and action-packed—the conflict can be as simple as a compelling character with a difficult problem.
27. Excessive Description
Here’s how you can avoid the problem of writing excessive description in your story. Don’t try to avoid it. I mean, in your first draft. At that stage, it’s most important to just get the story out on the page. But in the revising stage, then you can cut back on the purple prose. Ask yourself: does this detail add any new information? Can it be communicated through action instead? Like a director, you have to be intentional about the details you share, and those you leave out. But remember, it’s your story. Let your taste and style guide how much description you include.
28. Short Stories
Here are some key points to keep in mind when writing short fiction. Because if you try to write a short story the way you would write a novel… that might not go so well. Focus is essential. Eliminate unnecessary characters and plot threads. A short story should be about a much smaller idea than a novel—it can be as simple as one scene. Think about trying to capture a moment rather than an entire journey. And since a short story is less of a commitment than a novel, I’d encourage you to experiment. A shorter format is a great place to play around with new styles and story structures. Have fun with it.
29. Criticism
Here’s how to deal with criticism as a writer. When writing your story, you should be invested and immersed in it, pouring your heart and soul into every page. But when it comes time to edit your work, or show it to other people, you have to change how you think about your writing. Putting distance between yourself and your work, whether by taking time away from it or acting as if it’s someone else’s project, is essential. Don’t bring your feelings into the editing process—you might end up heartbroken or hating your work. Shift your mindset to a more objective place, and you’ll be able to receive criticism far better.
30. Writing Suspense
Here’s a tip for anyone writing horror or suspense. To make something more frightening, harness your readers’ fear of the unknown by showing less of it, not more. A classic example of this is Jaws—catching only rare glimpses of the shark builds tension and anticipation. Hold back information, and your readers will be more engaged—and scared.
All right. I know the title says 30 tips, but there are 31 days in a month, so… here’s a bonus one.
31. Writing Advice
Have you found yourself endlessly consuming writing advice, but struggling to put words on the page? While learning about the craft of writing can be helpful, remember that it’s more art than science. Experience is the best teacher. Don’t worry about making mistakes—the act of writing, however imperfect, is what makes a writer a writer.
And there you have it. 31 writing tips, one for every day of the month. I hope you found something useful in there.
There’s a lot more I could say about any one of these topics. Condensing a writing tip into as concise a format as possible is a good challenge, but it also limits how much nuance and information I can include. If you want a deeper dive, you can check out my longer videos about specific writing topics, like how to write an action sequence or avoid clichés.
Otherwise, feel free to ask me questions in the comments. I’d love to provide more clarity or examples for a tip I gave. You can also suggest questions you’d like me to answer in a future video. Suggestions came in handy a lot last month—sometimes, it would be getting toward the end of the day, and I would be wondering what to make a video about, which is when those questions were great to have.
If you want to watch the video versions of these blog posts, head over to my YouTube channel here, and subscribe for more videos on writing.
– Grayson Taylor
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