Craft Secrets Every Creative Writer Needs to Know

You’ve heard all the usual advice. Show, don’t tell. Write what you know. Kill your darlings.

There’s a world of lesser-known wisdom that will advance your craft.

Sentence Variety An overlooked area of good writing is sentence variety. Many fall into the trap of using the same sentence structure over and over. Your writing feel monotonous. Mix it up. Use punchy sentences to create impact. Follow with complex ones to add depth.

“The door creaked open. Sarah held her breath, heart pounding in her chest. She peered into the darkness, straining to see what lurked in the shadows of the old abandoned house.”

The varying sentence lengths create a sense of pacing.

Paragraph Breaks These aren’t just for starting new ideas. They control the emphasis of your writing. Short paragraphs highlight important points. Longer paragraphs add detail.

Don’t be afraid to use single-sentence paragraphs for dramatic effect. Like this.

It can really pack a punch.

Dialogue Tags “Said” is your best friend when it comes to dialogue tags. Many writers try to spice up their dialogue with fancy tags like “exclaimed,” “retorted,” or “pontificated.” These distract from the dialogue itself.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Sarah said.”Well, someone had to,” John replied.

This simple exchange doesn’t need fancy tags. The dialogue conveys the emotion.

The Magic of Sensory Details Good writing engages all five senses. Don’t just tell us what your characters see. What do they smell? Hear? Taste? Feel? Adding sensory details brings your scenes to life.

Instead of: “Sarah walked into the kitchen.”

Try: “Sarah stepped into the kitchen, the cool tile floor a relief against her bare feet. The rich aroma of coffee filled the air, mingling with the sweet scent of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.”

The Importance of White Space This makes your writing more readable. Break up long paragraphs. Use subheadings. Give your readers’ eyes a break.

In our digital age, many people read on screens. A wall of text can send readers running.

The Hidden Power of Punctuation

Punctuation shapes the rhythm, pacing, and meaning of your writing.

The Em Dash The em dash ( — ) is a versatile punctuation mark. It replaces commas, colons, or parentheses to add a dramatic pause.

“She opened the door — and screamed.”

This simple sentence packs a punch because of that em dash. It creates suspense before the reveal.

Semicolons Many shy away from semicolons, but they’re perfect for linking related independent clauses.

“The night was dark; the stars were hidden behind thick clouds.”

This creates a smoother flow than two separate sentences.

The Mighty Colon Colons do more than introduce lists. They’re great for emphasis.

“He had one goal: revenge.”

This puts all the weight on that final word, making it impactful.

Paragraph Breaks

We touched on this, but it’s worth a closer look. Paragraph breaks control pacing.

Short Paragraphs for Tension Short paragraphs create a sense of urgency. They’re perfect for action scenes or high drama.

The door creaked open.

Sarah held her breath.

A shadow moved in the darkness.

Each line stands alone, building suspense.

Long Paragraphs for Immersion Longer paragraphs slow things down, allowing for introspection. They create a sense of immersion in a scene.

“Sarah stood at the edge of the cliff, the wind whipping her hair around her face. The ocean stretched out before her, a vast expanse of blue-green that seemed to go on forever. Waves crashed against the rocks below, sending up plumes of white spray. She closed her eyes, breathing in the salty air, feeling the sun warm on her skin. In this moment, all her worries seemed to melt away, carried off by the sea breeze.”

This paragraph immerses the reader in Sarah’s sensory experience, creating a moment of calm.

Sentence Fragments Your English teacher told you never to use sentence fragments. In creative writing, they can be incredibly effective.

“She ran. Faster. Faster still. Her lungs burning.”

These fragments create a breathlessness that mirrors the character’s experience.

Mastering Tense Shifts Consistency in tense is important, but strategic tense shifts can be powerful.

“Sarah walks into the room. She looked around, confused. Where is everyone?”

This shift from present to past and back to present creates a sense of disorientation that matches Sarah’s experience.

Dialogue Attribution

We’ve talked about using “said” for dialogue tags. There’s more to it.

Removing Tags Entirely The best dialogue tag is sometimes no tag at all, especially in rapid exchanges.

“Where are you going?”

“Out.”

“When will you be back?”

“Later.”

The lack of tags here creates a quick back-and-forth.

Action Beats Instead of dialogue tags, use action beats to show who’s speaking and add context.

Sarah crossed her arms. “I don’t believe you.”

John sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I swear, it’s the truth.”

These action beats give insight into the characters’ emotions without resorting to adverbs.

Repetition When used skillfully, this creates rhythm or emphasis.

She walked down the street. Empty houses. Empty cars. Empty playgrounds. Everything empty.

The repetition of “empty” drives home the desolation.

Breaking Grammar Rules for Effect This creates powerful effects. You need to know the rules to break them effectively.

“He ran. Faster and faster and faster and faster until the world blurred and his lungs screamed and his legs burned but still he ran.”

This run-on sentence mimics the relentless nature of the character’s running.

The Power of Active Voice Passive voice has its place, but active voice is more direct.

Compare these two sentences:

Passive: “The ball was thrown by John.”

Active: “John threw the ball.”

The active version is more dynamic.

Cutting One of the hardest skills to master is cutting your own work. That beautiful paragraph you spent hours crafting? If it doesn’t move the story forward, it might need to go.

Be ruthless in your editing. Every word should earn its place.

Reading Aloud To catch awkward phrasing, repetitive words, or clunky dialogue, read your work aloud. Your ears catch things your eyes miss.

If the dialogue doesn’t sound natural when spoken, it needs work.

Specific Nouns and Verbs Vague language is the enemy of good writing. Instead of general nouns and weak verbs, use specific, vivid ones.

Instead of: “The man walked quickly down the street.”

Try: “The jogger sprinted down the sidewalk.”

The second version gives a clearer picture with fewer words.

Subtext Not everything needs to be spelled out. Sometimes what’s not said is more powerful than what is.

“How’s your day been?” Sarah asked.

John’s jaw clenched. “Fine.”

We don’t need to be told John’s having a bad day. His reaction says it all.

Rhythm Good writing has a rhythm to it. This comes from varying your sentence structure and length, but also from the sounds of the words.

Read this sentence aloud:

“The slithering snake silently slid across the smooth stones.”

Notice how the repeated ‘s’ sounds create a sense of movement?

The Right Word Mark Twain said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter. It’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

Don’t settle for the first word that comes to mind. Is there a more precise choice?

Instead of “walked,” could your character “stroll,” “trudge,” or “saunter”?

The Opening Line This is your hook. It grabs the reader. Some of the best opening lines are short and punchy.

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” — George Orwell, 1984

Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.” — Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude

Concrete Details Abstract concepts are hard for readers to grasp. Concrete details make your writing memorable.

Instead of: “She was beautiful.”

Try: “Her eyes sparkled like sunlight on water, and her smile could light up a room.”

Repetition Used sparingly, repetition can be a powerful tool. It can create build rhythm or link ideas.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!” — Martin Luther King Jr.

The Ending This is as important as your beginning. It needs to satisfy the reader while leaving them thinking about your story.

Some of the most powerful endings are short and simple.

“He was soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance.” — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

“He loved Big Brother.” — George Orwell, 1984

These are tools, not rules. Know when to use them and when to break them.