If we want to write better, we should take these writers’ tips seriously. Enjoy.

Writing

“What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.” — Samuel Johnson

“The skill of a skilled writer tricks you into thinking that there is no skill.” 
—Dwight V. Swain *

“Simplicity is a virtue in writing, true; but never the primary virtue. … Vividness is.” —Dwight V. Swain *

“Avoid on-the-nose writing.” —Jerry Jenkins

Theme

“A story without a theme is little more than a list of events.” —Grace Jolliffe

Opening Hooks

“A tremendous number of possibly good and even brilliant novels and short stories never get read beyond the first few paragraphs or pages by agents and editors. Why? Simple: The stories don’t begin in the right place.” —Les Edgerton *

Characters

“Characters reveal themselves more vividly in what they do and say than in what they think and feel.” —David Corbett

“You can’t relate to a superhero, to a superman, but you can identify with a real man who in times of crisis draws forth some extraordinary quality from within himself and triumphs but only after a struggle.” —Timothy Dalton

“People generally agree that each individual is a unique blend of traits that serve to satisfy basic wants and needs according to one’s moral code.” —Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi *

“[An] error of inexperienced writers—or journalists in a hurry—is to confine characterization to the obvious physical attributes.” —Sol Stein *

“So when you come across an explanation of the character’s emotion, simply cut the explanation. If the emotion is still shown, then the explanation wasn’t needed. If the emotion isn’t shown, then rewrite the passage so that it is.” —Renni Browne and Dave King *

“If your character doesn’t want anything badly enough, readers will have a hard time rooting for him to attain his goal, which is what compels readers to continue reading.” —Sol Stein *

“The role of mentor is a powerful one, and can help you steer your protagonist in new directions without having to lay much ground work.” —Elizabeth Sims *

“The glory of the protagonist is always paid for by a lot of secondary characters.” —Tony Hoagland

Story

“There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.” —Willa Cather

“Remember, the essence of storytelling demands that we place our main characters on a path. A quest with something at stake, with something to do, to achieve, to learn, and to change.” —Larry Brooks

“It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.”  —Mark Twain

“Coincidence cannot replace motivation.” — Debra Dixon *

 “Everything truly is possible as long as you help your reader understand why your characters do what they do.” —Debra Dixon *

“If you can take a little slice of the world and a little piece of dirt and really focus on details, you can drive large, seemingly spectacular movements.” —David Baldacci *

“The middle of our story should be the ‘meat’ of the story, as far as conflicts and arcs. Without setting up the obstacles here, any solution in the final act will seem too easy and won’t be as satisfying.” —Jamie Gold

Words

“Make every word count.”  —Sol Stein *

“I am dead to adverbs; they cannot excite me.” —Mark Twain

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” —Mark Twain

“Of is a preposition, and although not an inherently evil word, overusing it can make your writing sound passive and fussy.” —Mignon Fogarty

Paragraphs

“Words create sentences; sentences create paragraphs; sometimes paragraphs quicken and begin to breathe. Imagine, if you like, Frankenstein’s monster on its slab. Here comes lightning, not from the sky but from a humble paragraph of English words.” —Stephen King *

Scenes

“Every scene has to have a point.” —Rachel Joyce

“Scenes are capsules in which compelling characters undertake significant actions in a vivid and memorable way that allows the events to feel as though they are happening in real time.” —Jordan E. Rosenfeld *

Setting

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” —Anton Chekov

Dialogue

“Dialogue helps to create original characters and move the plot along. If it isn’t doing either of those things, it probably should be cut.” —James Scott Bell *

Wordiness

“Nothing marks a skilled writer as much as his ability to write tight.” — Angela Hunt

Writing Techniques

“One of the standard Words of Advice that writers—new and old—get, is to avoid clichés. The advice itself is rather a cliché but, like all clichés, it is based on truth, and it would be wrong to reflexively ignore it.” — Madeleine Robbins

“What your characters observe—or don’t—can be effective red herrings.” —Jane K. Cleland *

“Since long passages in italics are a pain to read, you can only use this technique effectively for passages no longer than a sentence or two. Even this brief passage is too long, don’t you think?” —Renni Browne and Dave King *

Pacing

“Pacing is a tool that controls the speed and rhythm at which a story is told and the readers are pulled through the story events.” —Jessica Page Morrell

Voice

“And the truth of your experience can only come through in your own voice. If it is wrapped in someone else’s voice, we readers will feel suspicious, as if you are dressed up in someone else’s clothes. You cannot write out of someone else’s big dark place; you can only write out of your own.” —Anne Lamott *

“To me, your writer’s voice is the expression of YOU on the page.” 
—Rachelle Gardner

The Ending

“If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” —Orson Welles

Editing

“There’s never been a text written that didn’t need editing.” —David Kudler

What’s your favorite quote on writing?

Buy Link

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