Zoiy G. Galloay
Edit. Edit. Edit. Edit.
When first starting out, I was a horrible writer! Trust me. It was reviewing and editing my own material over and over that eventually I learned how to be a stronger writer the first time around.
Learn from your own bad writing, how not to write. I'm still learning. Also, sending my materials to other editors, development editors, and beta readers and taking their advice in stride. Not all of their input should be accepted, but they are able to see things from another vantage point, so do take their advice that works.
Hire Beta Readers:
Either get a beta reader (or a few), a development editor, and/or a line editor. Many self-published authors don't want to spend the money on these, but you need a minimum of one. It does mean you'll be spending a longer time rewriting parts of your story, but they're usually always worth it!
Warm up:
If you haven't been writing for a while (meaning a week or longer), warm up before digging into you work. If you're a newbie starting your first book, just start writing, not caring how everything sounds. Do this for 1-3 pages. After that, take everything you wrote and delete it. That was your warm up. Now rewrite everything you just wrote, and it's very likely to come out better. After that, edit that material over and over and over.
Add layers to the story:
Every time I go over my writing, I add more depth to the descriptions and characters, their intentions, and descriptions to locations etc. Each time you go through, add that depth. Read other high-quality books and see what you like and don't like about the way they write/describe. Incorporate that style to your own writing.
When first starting out, I was a horrible writer! Trust me. It was reviewing and editing my own material over and over that eventually I learned how to be a stronger writer the first time around.
Learn from your own bad writing, how not to write. I'm still learning. Also, sending my materials to other editors, development editors, and beta readers and taking their advice in stride. Not all of their input should be accepted, but they are able to see things from another vantage point, so do take their advice that works.
Hire Beta Readers:
Either get a beta reader (or a few), a development editor, and/or a line editor. Many self-published authors don't want to spend the money on these, but you need a minimum of one. It does mean you'll be spending a longer time rewriting parts of your story, but they're usually always worth it!
Warm up:
If you haven't been writing for a while (meaning a week or longer), warm up before digging into you work. If you're a newbie starting your first book, just start writing, not caring how everything sounds. Do this for 1-3 pages. After that, take everything you wrote and delete it. That was your warm up. Now rewrite everything you just wrote, and it's very likely to come out better. After that, edit that material over and over and over.
Add layers to the story:
Every time I go over my writing, I add more depth to the descriptions and characters, their intentions, and descriptions to locations etc. Each time you go through, add that depth. Read other high-quality books and see what you like and don't like about the way they write/describe. Incorporate that style to your own writing.
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