Before you pick up the pen: this guide is a living resource for fellow travelers in the craft of words. These are suggestions, not laws.
01. Fiction
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As a fiction writer, the most prominent tip I would give other writers is description. If you took a peek at my works, you would see that I would spend time giving imagery to a reader. Theres nothing more enjoyable than being able to envision a scene in your mind. That said, imagery should also be written in controlled excerpts. When a reader is reading your descriptions, they should also be progressing in the story. Don’t spend more than a couple sentences to a paragraph describing a certain item or scene. This is to make sure your reader won’t get too tired of reading too much imagery.
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This is a general writing tip, also one I’ve learned from my mistakes – make sure that you pick a tense for your stories! If you don’t have a specific present or past tense for your work, it’ll be difficult to fix going forward.
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The tips on fantasy from me are quite subjective, since my works are probably different from yours in many ways. I’ll link a few resources for you to check out, since writing fiction is unique to each author.
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Make sure to have fun with it :)
FICTION Writing Resources
02. Poetry
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In poetry, this becomes most subjective. Poetry is all about taking the personal and making it universal. Perception is important here. A sentence could mean something completely different for someone else. Drawing from your own experiences, or those around you, is what brings a poem to life!
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In my experience, a poem's power comes from its ability to convey emotion. When we add needlessly wordy sentences or flowery language, it pulls the reader's attention away from the emotions that first convinced you to write the poem.
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Does that mean leave out all adjectives and repetition? Of course not, but learn to use them in moderation and pay attention to their effect on the poem. No word should be without reason, since poetry is usually shorter than a fiction paper.
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A tip I give to other writers is to jot down a moment or event where you felt an emotion. Hung out with a big group of friends for Christmas, felt lonely and out of place at a party, felt nervous before a date... these are all things you could write into a poem! At least for me, if I don’t write things down, it’s easy for me to forget how I felt in that moment or even the moment at all.
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The main purpose of a poem is to stir the imagination and make the reader or listener feel a powerful emotional response; hence, it usually has short stanzas and punchy lines.
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Define your style, or styles. Think about poetry that really spoke to your heart in the past. Was it funny? Serious? Rhyming or not? Was it more Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, or Walt Whitman? Start in a style that feels comfortable to you. You can always branch out to other forms later on.
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In the end, so many forms of poetry exist that they all become possibilities!
POETRY Writing Resources
03. Nonfiction
Nonfiction is a broad genre with many paths you can take. Biography, history, true crime, science and nature, how-to’s, or even research.
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If something is easy for you, but hard for other people — that’s your book topic. That could be one way you approach non-fiction writing. I’ve been passionate about research-driven papers. Being a total nerd about a specific topic is the best way to write a book, even if it's absolutely absurd.
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Achieving complete originality in writing is not only nearly impossible, but it’s also not the most effective approach. To be entirely unique, you’d have to stray so far from popular themes that your work risks becoming irrelevant. Instead, you’ll add more value by sharing your insights and experiences in a way that resonates with others.
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Nonfiction relies heavily on factual accuracy. Ensure you have credible sources and a deep understanding of your topic (which is why it's important to pick one you like!!) Digging into primary sources
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Choosing a POV in non-fiction is also really essential to the impact of your piece. If it’s in first person, it can feel more personal and connect better with your reader. In third or second person, you see those more often in research or news articles. Anywho, your stylistic choice matters for drawing in your reader.
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Have fun with it! (Sorry. I’m pretty bad at ending these off.)
NONFICTION Writing Resources
