I don’t know why I always have a hard time writing it and let’s not even talk about actually saying the words, but… well. I’m a writer.
I feel like I’m not owning that identity, that part of myself as much as I should be, even though I want to. Is it fear, is it impostor syndrom, I can’t really say, but it’s here. For now. It’s here even if I’ve written things, even if I want to be a writer as much as possible.
I’ve been writing for so many years, yet I still feel like a newbie to it and, more often than not, I need little reminders. I need to boost myself, to give myself that writing advice letting me know that it’s okay, I’m not doing so badly.
I’m here today to give yourself this advice. This writing advice I try to remember, to tell myself every time I’m getting back into writing. The good thing is: whether you’re a writer as in, writing fiction or non fiction, or even if you’re writing as a blogger… This advice works both ways. So… hopefully you’ll all enjoy it.
I am so nervous, writing about writing again, it’s been ages. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Writing advice for newbie writers
1. Let yourself write badly.
When I’m saying badly, I’m really saying it. Like, write AS TERRIBLY as you can, write any kind of jibberish you can write, but WRITE IT.
Especially when you’re participating in NaNoWriMo, but also when you’re drafting a book for the first time, juggling with a new idea, trying out words and sentences and working on new scenes. You should let yourself write badly.
It’s so tough for me to take this advice. I’m kind of a perfectionist and I struggle with just letting myself write badly. For anything, really. Whether it’s a new story or a blog post, I kind of want it to be perfect right away. Realistically, I know it can’t be. Like anything, writing needs practice. It needs to be trash first, so let it be your trash.
Write badly, but write. As long as you put the words down someplace. You’ll come back to them, you’ll make them better. Think of your first draft as compost. It’s natural garbage, yes, just like my first drafts. But once it’s there, I can use it again to make something better. Grow new plants, vegetables and even more.
2. Good things take time.
I feel like a Paris GIF here would be on point.
This is me. I’m not really THAT patient (read: not at all), so being a writer is hard, at times.
It’s hard to realize that good things might take time. Your writing, your ideas, your inspiration, your growth. Everything about writing takes time and I’m learning it every single day. I hear publishing’s even worse when it comes to waiting, so… I’m preparing for that, too, in a way.
I wrote 4 drafts of ONE book in 6 YEARS. This might seem slow for some people. It seems INCREDIBLY slow to me, if you ask me. It’s also the time I needed to get my story, to bring it where it needed to be while juggling first with trying to graduate from my master’s degree, then working on my first job as a graduate.
Your ideas and inspiration needs time, too.
I realize that all of my stories take time, not only because of all of life’s happenings and I can’t write full time, but also because sometimes, ideas need that time.
Some stories have been planted in my mind for YEARS now. I haven’t tackled them yet, because I can’t write 6 stories at a time, because of life, too, but also because both the ideas and me aren’t ready to do so. The topic is tough, too close to my heart, I can’t find the words yet, I’m not in the right headspace, the idea isn’t fully fleshed out yet and I don’t feel it ready either.
Your inspiration needs time, too. It’s hard when it’s NaNoWriMo time and everyone’s rushing to get the 50k words down on page, to remember that. Yet, I think it’s so important to. Inspiration is like a cat. It comes when it wants to be cuddled, but it’s fiercely independant and, if they don’t want to be bothered, THEY WON’T BE bothered and that’s it.
It’s okay to establish a writing routine. To try and write every day, to sit in front of the blank page and try to force the words out. Sometimes, they come. Sometimes it’s all they need, a little nudge.
Sometimes, the words don’t come and the inspiration just needs time. It’s okay. It will come back for you. Create moodboards for your stories, read, re-read what you wrote before, take a walk, scream at a wall, find someone to talk to, close your laptop in a blind rage and regret it later.
Inspiration needs time, but writing’s in you. It will always come back to you.
3. Take all writing advice you can get, then add a massive grain of salt to it.
I ingest writing advice like chocolate: almost compulsively. Maybe it’s because of my impostor syndrom and the fact that I feel like, 99% of the time, I have no idea what the heck I’m doing.
Writing advice is fascinating. There are so many incredible resources, both online and in books, about writing. Plotting, drafting, crafting characters. So many different methods to plot your book, so many ideas to create three-dimensional characters, advice left and right about doing this and that and this again.
The most important thing to remember is that writing advice is just that: advice. It’s not a clear line you’re supposed to follow. Writing has no laws you should follow. Some things will work out well for you, others won’t. Okay, Marie, but how the heck do I know what works, you’ll ask? Well… in writing, like in anything, you won’t know until you try.
When I feel lost, I feel like reading writing advice grounds me a little bit. It helps me in finding my way back. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don’t, sometimes I mix it up a bit. I’m taking it and digesting it myself into something that works out for me.
Like Captain Barbossa said, the code is more what you’d call guidelines than actual rules.
4. Don’t compare your journey to others
I’m dealing with comparison badly. I mean, as a blogger, I often compare myself to others, even when I know I shouldn’t. Even when I know we each have our own path, time, journeys.
It’s the same for my writer-self.
I haven’t written properly, drafted something properly, really worked on a book since… mid summer. I’ve been writing stories (really bad ones, mind you) since I knew how to write and only finished 2 real, full books. One of them isn’t properly edited yet. I saw people younger than me getting incredible book deals, there are people younger than me with ten books released.
Writing is my dream and yet, I don’t feel like I’m a proper writer when I think of all of this. I feel… well, really depressed about myself as a writer, actually.
I shouldn’t. Just because I haven’t written as much as others doesn’t mean I’m not a writer. Just because I’m not popular, even as an aspiring published author on social media, doesn’t mean I’m not a writer.
Just because sometimes I’m not writing and sometimes it takes me months or years to finish something doesn’t mean I’m not a writer.
Everyone has their own path. I’m on my own path. It might be slow, I might not write as many books as I’d like to possibly can (I don’t know how people write fastly. I’m like a sloth). I might not be published or anything like that.
But I’m here and my heart’s here and it’s all that matters.
5. Don’t forget WHY
Why what, you’ll ask? Why you’re here. Reading this blog post. WHY you’re writing. When you’re feeling stressed, pressured, when you’re out of inspiration, whether you haven’t written for days, months, hell, years, don’t forget why.
When you’re writing and feeling stuck, with your world, your characters, your stories.
When you’re editing and feeling like you’re making it worse rather than better.
When you’re staring at your work, reading it, editing it, forgetting it, screaming at it.
Don’t forget why you wrote this story and why you’re writing this one.
Don’t forget why you wanted to write it in the first place. Don’t forget the characters, the world, the idea, the passion that compells you to go on even when it’s tough.
Don’t forget that you’re a writer and that alone is INCREDIBLE.
Whether you’re a fiction writer or a blogger, what are some of your best writing advice? To keep inspiration, to keep going, to keep the sparks alive? Let me know in comments!
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YES to all of this!
Oh thank you, so happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
I love this post so much!!! I remember on my first day of a creative writing class, our teacher had us write down “I am a writer because I write.” I often compare myself to others too and I sometimes tell myself that I’m not a “real writer” but that’s just not true. I have a hard time getting past that sometimes.
I also completely agree with all of your advice. As someone who is doing nano for just the second time, this tips were really helpful to hear as I’m wrapping up my story.
Again, wonderful post, Marie.❤️
Oh thank you so, so much Ruby, so happy you enjoyed this <3 I hope you can try and compare your journey to others a little less, I know how tough this can be, though <3 we can do this! <3
Thank you so much! I wish you all the best of luck with your writing. <3
Great post! I don’t about the novel writing but best I can say for blogging is don’t procrastinate and just write whatever you want.
That’s great advice! It’s hard not to procrastinate though hahaha 🙂
Okay … can we just comment on how ON GAME your GIFs are? I laughed so hard! I really love this though … it’s a reminder we all need. I really want to get back into writing, but the patience I have for myself in THIN! I’ve also a perfectionist, so I want it to be perfect the first time … which is SO unrealistic. I really love this. Great job, darlin’!
Ahh thank you Jenna <3 I get that, I have NO patience at all haha. I hope you can get back to it sometime <3
Ooof, this post really hits close to home for me. One advice (???) I have for myself is to try to forget about the world for once. I know keeping your target audience in mind while writing is essential, but sometimes, doing that is more debilitating than helpful. I actually had more fun writing when I was in high school — when I didn’t know anything about writing and the whole publishing world — than when I was in college studying Creative Writing. The pressure of being a good writer really got to my head, and up to this, I still can’t write without feeling like someone’s breathing down my neck. I’m trying my darndest to get rid of that, but it is a challenge.
Another advice I have is to write fanfiction. Big-time authors always scoff at fanfiction, but in reality, fanfiction is a great writing exercise. For one thing, you will never publish that story, so you’re allowed to write as badly as you can. And for another, it’s fun! You’re writing stories inspired by other works of art that you love, and when you post those stories on fanfic sites, you get to interact with other fans as well. Basically, fanfic is a great training ground where you can really hone your writing without the pressure of being a maestro or something. It’s liberating.
(I’m sorry for the really long reply eheheheheh. I got carried away.)
Oh I completely understand this, the pressure is SO real sometimes, it’s terrible. I feel like I wrote more freely before, too, but some days are easier than others, that’s for sure ahah 🙂
Thank you so, so much for your sweet comment and for sharing your thoughts on the topic <3 Wishing you all the best of luck with your writing!
this is great advice! I used to do a lot of creative writing; I don’t anymore, but I keep telling myself I should get back into it.
Oh thank you so much! I hope you can get back to it sometime <3
Love this and may relate a bit too much to you, haha! I think mine would be that there’s a HUGE difference between drafting and revising and those should not be mixed
Oh thank you, I’m happy you can relate, too! 🙂 Agree, these aren’t the same at all and it’s so important to let yourself write badly and just, let down the words at first 🙂
Marie omg I LOVE THIS POST!! I’m a newbie at writing, and someday hope to make it my career so this post is super helpful. I love all your tips. I’m def a perfectionist and I think have struggled because I want my writing to come out semi-good on first try, which is hard to let go of. I do just need to write haha
And I love what you said about the grain of salt. I think your mind can become full of all kinds of advice and it can get jumbled and also unhelpful at times
Such an amazing post xoxoxo
Oh thank you so much, I’m so happy you found this useful, thank you <3 I get that, it's SO hard to let go of the perfectionist in ourselves, I know I sometimes can't haha, but doing my best.
Thank you!! <3
Oh Marie, I love this post so much. Thank you for taking the time to write it, I needed it. I haven’t been writing hardly at all the past few months and the guilt, imposter syndrome and feelings like a failure have currently rooted deep! But this post was a great reminder that isn’t the case and, no matter the pace, we got this. I hope you were able to take your own words to heart, too. I believe in you and can’t wait to support the hell out of your books!
Oh Nicole thank you for saying this, I’m so happy this could be useful to you. <3 I'm not taking my words to heart ahah, but I really should do my best to. Thank you, you're so sweet. I hope you've been doing well <3
I can relate to the first paragraph so much. I feel like in terms of introducing myself to people it has always been ‘I want to be a writer’ never ‘I am a writer’ just because I feel like I need to be published or whatever to have that title. This post is soooo goood!! Insightful and well-grounded to reality!!
Oh I’m so glad I’m not the only one feeling this way. If we write, we’re writers, it’s so important to remember that <3
Thank you so, so much, so happy you enjoyed it! <3
I like your metaphor of first drafts being like compost. I never allow myself to write freely like that, I’m a perfectionist and anxious, so if I don’t do good the first time, I feel like it’s the end of me and I can’t bear to look at the page anymore. Probably a self-esteem issue, though.
I tried NaNoWriMo again this year and I managed a bit less of 4k words. Couldn’t do more because I didn’t have the scenes outlined and I felt stuck. I don’t think I’ll ever try NaNo to win it, given how I handle it.
I agree that ideas take time to grow and develop into something that looks like a good product. There’s a novel I’ve been working on since 1998 and if I’m lucky I’ll complete it in 2021. Those poor characters have been waiting all these years to see the story concluded, and the novel as been growing with me (I was 13 in 1998, I’m 35 now).
“Just because sometimes I’m not writing and sometimes it takes me months or years to finish something doesn’t mean I’m not a writer.” — Oh, I have to tell this to myself, too. It gets so bad on some days and I can barely write. And like you, I’m a slow writer.
I write novels and short stories for the sheer joy to create worlds, even worlds totally different than the human one and the human experience. I love my characters and I feel honored to be accompanying them through their journey.
And I blog to share something about me or something that might be helpful to others.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember all that and I’d much rather run away (silly me).
Loved this post, start to finish. 🙂
– Lia
Oh thank you so much for your sweet comment, Lia. I’m so happy you could relate to it. I’m the same way, I feel like I need everything to be perfect and am having the hardest time just writing freely without looking back, too.
I’m glad that you’re hanging onto that idea you are loving and not giving up, this really matters a lot and it shows that your story matters to you, too. I believe that you can get it done, sending you all the love and strength! <3 I'm a slow writer, too, so I completely understand that.
Thank you so, so much, Lia! <3
I love this post so much! All of this is so very true ❤
Oh thank you! So happy you enjoyed this <3
I wish I could say that the comparison game stops at some point, but that hasn’t been my experience. In fact, I’ve seen tons of “successful” authors who say they still feel that way. The best you can do is just keep going!!!
Yes definitely. It’s so hard to stop comparing yourself, I just can’t stop ahah. I hope I can just keep going and hope for the best. <3 Thank you!