Adopt These Small Writing Tricks to Make Your Writing Better

Writing is one of those things that can't simply be learned through placing a large novel under your pillow at night and hoping the ability to weave stories will seep through the pages, into your pillow, and find its way into your creative brain. 

But there are more effective things you can try that will do pretty much the same thing. 

Do Writing Warm-Ups 

When you sit down at your desk to write, or wherever it is you do write, instead of jumping straight into your project give your creativity a warm-up with a few short writing warm-ups just like the athletes do before they play in any game. (Ok - maybe they do something a little more strenuous, but that doesn't make this habit any less important.)

The habit of writing warm-ups before getting to work on your novel sets you into the writing mood by making sure you are free of distractions and ready to tackle the work in front of you as well as giving you practice with stretching your imagination muscles before beginning that marathon writing session. 

Expand Your Vocabulary 

Simply put - learning words makes it easier to write better words. 

No, I'm not telling you to go and read the dictionary in your spare time, there are much easier, and more fun ways to expand your vocabulary - my favorite one being playing word games on my phone, but you can also expand your vocabulary through reading! 

Sure it's not as simple as just laying down on a book, but reading it is the more fun way to use a book anyway. 

Establish A Writing Ritual 

Before I sit down to write, I make a cup of tea and straighten up my desk. Every time. 

The task of clearing my desk makes it so it doesn't get bogged down with stuff that doesn't need to be there or may start to build up if I don't make a habit of keeping it clean and I'm not even sure I know what my desk looks like without a mug of tea on it at this point anymore. 

A writing ritual can be as simple as sitting in a dedicated spot at a dedicated time or it can be as complex as making sure your socks have been washed three times, you're wearing a polka-dotted fedora and you spun in a circle seven times until you collapsed into your writing chair. 

I don't wholly recommend this one but if it works for you then by all means keep at it. 

Read - Everything 

Sure most authors will give you the advice that you should read the genre you want to write, but the better advice is to read anything and everything you can get your hands on that may (or even may not) interest you. 

 My family often complains about my book collection because the selection is so scattered and varied that they wouldn't even know where to start if they wanted to buy me something that they thought I would like. (Though honestly if it was bought with love there's no way I wouldn't like it.) My most recent book purchase included a Christmas Rom-Com, a novel about Abraham Lincoln, and a horror book I know is going to keep me awake for days after reading. 

Each book you pick up is an individual class on writing. It teaches you a new style of writing, sentence structure, plot development, and more in an easily digestible and enjoyable way. 

Set Realistic Milestones

You can't finish a race if you don't know when it ends and you can't track your progress if there aren't mile markers along the way.

You want to write a book. 

Well, you need to complete several steps to do that, and by keeping track, you can measure your progress and have a sense of direction and accomplishment as you move along the list.

Setting writing goals can also help you keep on track with your word count so that you can finish your book promptly (instead of taking years to write a chapter) 

I set myself a daily amount of articles to write and a weekly amount of chapters to get through in my novel among other tasks. 

If I didn't then I'm not sure it would get done as effectively, though I have one of those brains that needs a to-do list for most things or I get sidetracked with anything or everything. 

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Adding some small tricks into your writing routine can make a large impact on not only your efficiency as a writer but also help you become a better writer. 

Now go get to writing.

With love, 

B.K. xo xo

Want to write with me live? I'm now on Twitch! Come join me in some writing sprints most days at 10:30 pm EST

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