You Like Writing Tips? We Got Writing Tips (Clip Show #12)

Rosemi Mederos: 00:01

If you have plot bunnies coming out of your plot holes, it’s time for a writing break.

Hi there. I hope you had a productive two weeks of writing. Remember: the blank page is scared of you, not the other way around. And Google is apparently scared of me, since my work email address has been put on its hit list. Anyone who has sent me an email from gmail in the past few months, Google is trying to keep us apart as if thou were a Montague and I a Capulet. For now, if you’re seeking editorial assistance and you have a gmail address, contact me via Instagram at americaseditor and don’t drink from any tiny vials.

It's review time today at Writing Break. As you might know, each episode of this show ends with a bit of writing advice, often inspired by conversations I’ve had with my authors. In this episode I’ve pulled together the writing tips from the last nine episodes.

Whether you're drafting, revising, or dramatically staring into the void, this episode is for you. Grab a notebook, or don't, and let’s settle in at the Writing Break cafe and get started on a full episode of writing tips.

From Episode 110: Publishers Accepting Submissions

Time is precious, and if you’re wise, you realized this long ago. That’s what makes saying no to things so hard. It’s that fear of missing out. It’s what I call the FOMO fallacy. It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of everyday life, with endless requests and commitments. And then there are all the fun experiences we do want to have, especially around the holidays. But to truly focus on your book, it's essential to learn the art of saying no.

Saying "no" is one of the most empowering tools in a writer's arsenal. It's not just about turning down distractions; it's about prioritizing your passion and craft. Every time you say no to a social event, a favor, or a non-essential task, you're saying yes to your story, yes to your characters, and yes to your creative dreams.

I know all of this is easier said than done. You have responsibilities and things that must get done but won’t get done unless you do them. But for just a little while, prioritize your writing. Try it out. Just for a little while, make writing your book the most important thing in your life. No matter how many spells and incantations you try, your book will not write itself.

Before we part ways, I will let you in on a little secret, if you wait long enough to make dinner, everyone will just eat cereal.

From Episode 111: First-Draft Writing Advice

Your focus for the first draft should be getting the story out. Putting the sand in the sandbox before building the castle.

Do not edit your first draft; just write. Do not concern yourself with perfect grammar, spelling, or sentence structure; just write. Your first draft is when you can take your story in different directions and explore various ideas. It will be choppy and inconsistent; that’s normal. If you’re like me, you want to fix each sentence as you write. Resist that desire; just write.

You might be a plotter working off of a meticulous outline, a pantser building the plane after you’ve jumped off the cliff, or somewhere in between. Regardless, the first draft is when you make sure your conflicts, ideas, themes, and plot points appear somewhere in the document. Your characters will not be perfectly developed at this stage. Allow them to roam free and see where they take you.

For those working on a non-fiction book, the first draft is when you learn where your true interest lies. If you’re writing a book about sustainability, for example, and you find yourself more eager to write about and research renewable energy than any of the other topics you had planned to cover, then maybe you need to refocus your book.

There are things I am sick of hearing but are true nonetheless:

Aim for progress, not perfection.

Write now, worry later.

You can’t edit a blank page.

Momentum is priceless in writing. If you get stuck on one part, skip it, and keep moving forward. Your first draft is not meant to be good; it is meant to just be. The first draft will be a rattling of the bones of your book. Rattle them bones.

From Episode 112: Second-Draft Writing Advice

Even though I’m an advocate of five drafts or more, it does help to think in terms of "first draft" and "second draft" stages. The first draft might be written in a fevered rush, much like Kerouac’s legendary On the Road being written in 3 weeks thanks to Benzedrine. I suggest you steer clear of amphetamines and stick toI don’t know, caffeine, perhaps? Regardless, the first draft might be a rush job. The subsequent drafts, however, should not be. Do not rush the revision process, but also, don’t get analysis paralysis and never publish anything. When in doubt, get beta readers and hire an editor. To make things a little easier for you, here are eight steps to follow when you revise, regardless of genre.

1. Read through the entire draft first. The goal here is to get an overall sense of the structure and flow. Don’t edit immediately. Read the entire draft through and assess its strengths and weaknesses. Check if the narrative is clear and cohesive or if sections feel disjointed.

2. Focus on clarity and precision. The goal here is to begin refining your writing so it’s clearer and more direct. Tighten sentences and cut unnecessary words. Look for areas where your ideas or plot points might be confusing and clarify them.

3. Deepen characterization in order to strengthen character development. Are your characters’ motivations clear? Do their actions match their personalities? Give your characters depth, motivations, and believable backstories. Add layers to their arcs, ensuring they have distinct voices, goals, and conflicts.

4. Strengthen themes and subtext. This will ensure your themes resonate and your subtext is consistent. Are the core ideas of your book coming through? Look for places where you can weave in more subtext or subtlety to add depth.

5. Smooth out transitions and pacing. This will refine the flow of the story. Check for awkward transitions between scenes or sections. Ensure pacing is consistent and that the story doesn't drag in one place or rush through another. Make sure the pacing matches the emotional tone.

6. Revise for voice and style. This is where you refine your voice, tone, and writing style. Does the tone fit the genre, theme, or character? Focus on making your language richer and more compelling without over-complicating it.

7. Cut and tighten the manuscript. This means eliminating anything that doesn’t serve the story or overall argument. Be ruthless in cutting filler or redundant ideas. Each sentence should either advance the plot or develop the character or theme.

8. Check for consistency. Ensure there are no contradictions or plot holes. Does the logic of your plot hold up? Is each character’s behavior consistent with their earlier actions? Are your character descriptions consistent? For non-fiction, are your facts consistent, and for fiction, are your world-building elements consistent?

A bonus step that I recommend at the end of each revision is the same that you’re doing at the beginning: read your manuscript aloud. This will help you catch awkward phrasing, pacing issues, and dialogue that doesn't sound natural. What I think helps even more is having the computer read it to you. This can be done in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. You can even select the voice and reading pace.

In the first draft, you're focused on getting the bones of the story down without worrying too much about how it sounds or flows. Your first draft is going to consist of basic, straightforward language. In many parts, it will lack emotional depth and imagery. The focus for your first draft should be on getting the scenes down without much elaboration.

The second draft is about shaping and refining that raw material, ensuring your characters, themes, and structure are clear, tight, and compelling. The revisions in the second draft move beyond mere mechanics to include deeper concerns like voice, pacing, and emotional resonance.

Your next few drafts should have consistently more refined language, adding emotional and sensory details, making the characters actions and internal conflicts clearer, tightening the pacing, and adding subtle tension.

From Episode 113: 9 Actionable Writing Tips from Bestselling Authors

1. Write regularly and consistently.

Set a daily or weekly word count goal and, if possible, dedicate a specific time for writing each day. Remember that consistency builds momentum. In the words of Octavia E. Butler: "First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not." And in the words of Stephen King: "Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work."

2. Embrace simplicity and clarity.

If complex sentences are your thing, go for it. However, I would remind you that clear communication is priceless, especially when trying to reach a large audience. If you want your writing to have staying power long after you’ve left this mortal realm, aim for clarity and precision and avoid overcomplicating your sentences. Break up long sentences into shorter ones, especially during moments of action or tension. This will increase readability and improve pacing. Strip away excess and focus on your characters’ emotional cores.

George Orwell said: "Never use a long word where a short one will do." Kurt Vonnegut said: "Use short sentences. They are robust." And James Baldwin said: "Write a sentence as clean as a bone." Writing expert William Zinsser said: "Examine every word you put on paper. You’ll find a surprising number that don’t serve any purpose." For example, “He was really tired” could become “He was exhausted”, but I often find that authors have a hard time letting go of adverbs and end up writing something like, “he was completely exhausted.” Mmm, no, “He was exhausted” works better.

internet memes from the early: 2000

3. Show, don’t tell.

I think it’s illegal to not mention this one when offering a list of timeless writing tips. So, yes, focus on showing, not on telling. Memorable stories use sensory details and actions to convey emotions and settings.

Most of us know that Anton Chekhov said: "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." But he also said, "Don’t tell me the man is afraid; show me how he trembles." Mmm.

4. Read.

Furthermore, read widely and learn from others, including modern writers. Study a variety of genres to understand different styles and storytelling techniques.

In the words of William Faulkner: "Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it." Once you’ve done this, you will have the tools to create something incredible because it comes from you, a well-read creature. Remember what Toni Morrison told you: "If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it."

5. Create fully realized characters.

Let your characters drive the story through their decisions and flaws. We need flawed characters, we need character arcs, the whole thing.

In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald: "Character is plot, plot is character."

6. Write for an audience of one.

I’ve talked to you about identifying your ideal reader and keeping that person in mind as you write, and while collecting quotes for this list, I was pleased to learn that Kurt Vonnegut said: "Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia."

7. Hook the reader and keep them hooked.

Avoid opening with a long backstory. Instead, drop the reader into a compelling moment and weave the exposition in later. As you revise, think about what question or tension lingers at the end of each chapter. Add believable tension and conflict to keep your readers engaged. Rewrite until you’re sure the reader feels compelled to keep going.

In the words of Lee Child: "Hook the reader by starting with action or an intriguing question." In the words of James Patterson: "Every chapter should end with a cliffhanger or some reason to turn the page." And in the words of Raymond Chandler: "The more you reason, the less you create."

8. Ground your writing in specific details.

Use cultural, personal, and geographical details to enrich your story. In the words of Sandra Cisneros: "The more specific you are, the more universal you become." Now, it is possible to overdo this, but keep revising until you’ve found your voice and developed your style, which leads us to tip #9.

9. Accept that writing is rewriting.

Separate drafting and editing. Allow the creative flow first, then refine. During editing, cut unnecessary details or tangents, even if they are well-written. Be ruthless in this. John Steinbeck told us: "Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down." And Ernest Hemingway famously said: "Write drunk, edit sober." Maybe he was being literal when he said this, but I think we can apply this metaphorically as well.

Remember that Nora Ephron was clear when she said: "The hardest thing about writing is writing." But also remember Joyce Carol Oates’ assertion that: "The great happiness of life in creative endeavor is the writing itself."

From Episode 115: Chuck Palahniuk’s Controversial Writing Advice: Ditching Thought Verbs

In: 2013

“In six seconds, you’ll hate me.

But in six months, you’ll be a better writer.

From this point forward – at least for the next half year – you may not use “thought” verbs. These include: Thinks, Knows, Understands, Realizes, Believes, Wants, Remembers, Imagines, Desires, and a hundred others you love to use.

The list should also include: Loves and Hates.

…

You can’t write: Kenny wondered if Monica didn’t like him going out at night…”

Instead, you’ll have to Un-pack that to something like: “The mornings after Kenny had stayed out, beyond the last bus, until he’d had to bum a ride or pay for a cab and got home to find Monica faking sleep, faking because she never slept that quiet, those mornings, she’d only put her own cup of coffee in the microwave. Never his.”

Instead of characters knowing anything, you must now present the details that allow the reader to know them. Instead of a character wanting something, you must now describe the thing so that the reader wants it.

Instead of saying: “Adam knew Gwen liked him.”

You’ll have to say: “Between classes, Gwen was always leaned on his locker when he’d go to open it. She’d roll her eyes and shove off with one foot, leaving a black-heel mark on the painted metal, but she also left the smell of her perfume. The combination lock would still be warm from her ass. And the next break, Gwen would be leaned there, again.”

In short, no more short-cuts. Only specific sensory detail: action, smell, taste, sound, and feeling.

…

Thinking is abstract. Knowing and believing are intangible. Your story will always be stronger if you just show the physical actions and details of your characters and allow your reader to do the thinking and knowing. And loving and hating.

Don’t tell your reader: “Lisa hated Tom.”

Instead, make your case like a lawyer in court, detail by detail. Present each piece of evidence. For example:

“During role call, in the breath after the teacher said Tom’s name, in that moment before he could answer, right then, Lisa would whisper-shout: ‘Butt Wipe,” just as Tom was saying, ‘Here’.”

…

Oh, and you can just forget about using the verbs forget and remember.

No more transitions such as: “Wanda remember[ed] how Nelson used to brush her hair.”

Instead: “Back in their sophomore year, Nelson used to brush her hair with smooth, long strokes of his hand.”

Again, Un-pack. Don’t take short-cuts.

Better yet, get your character with another character, fast. Get them together and get the action started. Let their actions and words show their thoughts. You -- stay out of their heads.”

Like I said, this is an abridged version, and you can find a link to the full version in the show notes. In it, he goes on to say you should avoid “is” and “have” and you should never leave your characters alone. He also goes on to call writers who don’t adhere to this writing style lazy.

Now, when I first found this article, there were many comments by irate authors that basically said the same thing, which is, that works for you, but that’s now how I do it. And I see their point. My favorite writer is Ernest Hemingway, and he leaves so much unsaid, yet no one breaks my heart with fewer words than Hemingway.

But Hemingway, Palahniuk, and every other commercially successful author believed in rewriting. So, whether or not this writing advice resonated with you, why not give it a try? Rewrite a few pages of your current manuscript and see how you like it. While some might find Palahniuk too wordy, and others might hate Hemingway, remember that they were able to find their audience by writing how they wanted to write. So, if you try it, and you don’t think it’s an improvement, chuck it.

And never forget what Hemingway would tell himself when he got stuck,“All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.”

From Episode 116: Inspiration vs. Perspiration: Writing, Scams, and Creative Freedom

Astute listeners caught that the outro of this show was changed to remove the bit about bookstores and authors because we’re not featuring bookstores and authors in every episode like we were before. The decision to remove these segments came after reviewing the results of a listener survey. But I did leave in the part about making space in your mind for the muse, and that’s what I want to address today.

A muse, or a source of inspiration, can come in many forms. For some, it’s another person. For others, it’s nature. And for Frida Kahlo, it’s herself. Waiting for the muse, cultivating the muse, making space for the muse, whatever you want to call it, is, in my mind, creating an opportunity to get inspired. Some famous artists advise you not to wait around for inspiration, just get it done, perspiration over inspiration. Some famous artists need to be hit with a certain bolt of energy to get going, inspiration and then perspiration.

I thank you at the end of every episode for making space in your mind for the muse because it is not easy to make that time for yourself and your art. Reading books on writing or just reading other books in your genre to see how others are doing the thing are ways of improving your writing, and I applaud when people do those things because I have encountered too many aspiring authors who admit that they don’t read.

Listening to my podcast, I hope, allows you to think about yourself as an author without comparing yourself to anyone else and without having to stare at the blank page. It’s important to create that kind of space for yourself and see where that takes you. Too often aspiring authors, especially those with talent, struggle to think of themselves as writers. When you listen to this show, you are a writer, whether that’s a nonfiction author, a novelist, a screenwriter, a playwright, an essayist, or a poet, that’s you. When you listen to this show, you are a writer, and your editor is catching you up on what’s going on in the publishing world or imparting some writing advice in hopes that you find a useful bit of fire in each episode. And if you do, it’s because you made space in your mind for the muse.

You should sit and write when you can, regardless of inspiration. In the words of Ru Paul, “You better work.” But inspiration helps a heck of a lot. I’ll end this episode with a great quote by Stephen King from his book about writing called, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.

“There is a muse, but he’s not going to come fluttering down into your writing room and scatter creative fairy-dust all over your typewriter or computer. He lives in the ground. He’s a basement kind of guy. You have to descend to his level, and once you get down there you have to furnish an apartment for him to live in. You have to do all the grunt labor, in other words, while the muse sits and smokes cigars and admires his bowling trophies and pretends to ignore you. Do you think it’s fair? I think it’s fair. He may not be much to look at, that muse-guy, and he may not be much of a conversationalist, but he’s got inspiration. It’s right that you should do all the work and burn all the midnight oil, because the guy with the cigar and the little wings has got a bag of magic. There’s stuff in there that can change your life. Believe me, I know.”

From Episode 117: The Reality of Traditional Publishing, a Cautionary Tale

I recently spoke with an author who landed a deal with a Big 5 publisher, something many of us aspire to accomplish. But what happened next was not the fairy tale any of us imagine. I will not disclose the name of the author or the publisher, for obvious reasons. I’ll try not to even disclose the gender.

Imagine this: You spend years writing and refining your book, only for the publisher to print the wrong version. That’s exactly what happened to this author. The first print run used an outdated manuscript, one that still had errors, missing revisions, and passages that had been cut.

As if that weren’t enough, the same mistake happened with the audiobook. The narrator was given the wrong version of the manuscript, and no one caught it until they were deep into recording. By the time the mistake was noticed, thousands of dollars had already been spent on the recording process. Who do you think is going to foot the bill for these mistakes?

Fixing these mistakes was a logistical and financial headache. Mistakes like this impact the production timeline, the narrator’s performance, and the author’s trust in the publishing team.

They’re not the only publisher to ever have this kind of quality control error, but one reason people gravitate toward traditional publishing is to have less to worry about since things are getting done by experienced professionals. You know I’m a strong advocate for self-publishing, and if you chose to work with a publishing house, keep in mind that you’re still going to need to keep a sharp eye out for this kind of mix-up.

And then there’s the book tour. When you think about launching a book with a major publisher, you might picture glamorous book tours, media coverage, and a full marketing team working to promote your work. But here’s the reality: This author was given minimal support for book events. In fact, the author was expected to organize and fund most of it. Travel expenses quickly added up, turning what should have been a career milestone into a financial burden.

If the publishing house would have offered more book tour support, the author would have been able to attend more than a handful of events and therefore sell more books. It’s a fair assumption that the publishing house didn’t think the profits would justify the cost. But note that the book event I attended for this author this year was packed, and more than a hundred people stood in line, books in hand to get the author’s autograph at the end. I am not sure why more was not done for this author, but it makes me wonder how much they’re doing for any author anymore.

There is a misconception that traditional publishing means automatic success. This story isn’t meant to discourage you, but to prepare you. The traditional publishing path is full of unexpected challenges. Always advocate for yourself during the publishing process. Don’t assume that big publishers won’t make big mistakes. If a book tour is important to you or recommended by your publisher, ask about financial support before committing. Stay involved in the production process: check galleys, ask about audiobook recordings, and push for quality control. At the end of the day, publishing is a business. No one will care about your book as much as you do.

And always, always consider self-publishing a serious option. Given this author’s fan base, I believe much more would have been in the author’s pocket at the end of the day if they had self-published.

From Episode 118: Navigating the Shifting Publishing Landscape

About a week ago, I was discussing the true crime book I’m writing when I realized that my beautiful, perfect opening with a delicious hook was, in fact, chronologically inaccurate. The unacceptability of this fact left me somewhere between melting and turning to stone. I achieved a plasma state, perhaps. My first thought was, truly, about time travel. Perhaps instead of finding a new opening I could build a time machine, make a name for myself as humanity’s first time traveler, change what I need to change so that history matches my book’s opening, and then move on with writing the rest of the book.

I do not remember my second thought, but I do remember blinking harder than normal, as though that would somehow rearrange my opening words to something factual and just as well written. When I told a trusted friend, he offered me a maniacal smile and leaned down so his face was a few inches away from mine. Then, maintaining eye contact and keeping his voice low, he said, “Maybe now you’ll know what you put your authors through.”

Listeners, I released a pearl-clutching gasp and recoiled as though I had a top-shelf vermouth violently splashed on a white silk dress. His malicious grin grew wider, and I started to laugh. Eventually, I replied to this Truth Bomb Technician friend of mine, “It’s true. I’m always saying, ‘Kill your darlings, kill your darlings.’ I’m not wrong, but it hurts.”

Long-time listeners might remember that Episode 2 of Writing Break is all about killing your darlings. It is a piece of advice that I impart like an army general. I do not want to see my authors waste their time on anything that is weighing down their manuscript. No matter how well written that bit of writing might be, it does not fit. It has to go. Get rid of it and move on. Keep advancing, soldier.

In the end, I did exactly what I tell authors to do. I saved the beautiful, perfect opening in a separate document, just because. For a brief moment, that opening and I walked side by side, and now I’ve walked away from it. It will never make an appearance in my book, but it will always be part of my digital footprint.

Did it hurt? Sure.

Am I over it? Yes.

Have I written a new opening that’s even better? Maybe.

From Episode 119: High-Concept vs. Low-Concept Stories

As writers, we’re always told to make our stories compelling, but what does that really mean? One of the most important things you can ask yourself when developing your book is: Am I writing a high-concept story or a low-concept story? Knowing the difference can help you refine your pitch, market your book effectively, and position it for success.

Let’s start up high. A high-concept story is built around a bold, unique, and instantly intriguing premise. It’s the kind of idea that makes people sit up and say, “Whoa, I need to read that.” A high-concept story can be summed up in a single, compelling sentence, which means it’s easy to pitch. There is a dramatic, urgent situation at play, the stakes are big and there is a lot of conflict.

Think of stories like Jurassic Park. What if scientists cloned dinosaurs and opened a theme park?

Or The Hunger Games. What if a dystopian government forced kids to fight to the death for entertainment?

These are high-concept stories. The idea grabs you before you even know the characters. The concept appeals to a wide audience, and it’s visually engaging. You can already imagine it as a movie or TV series.

Now, we get low. A low-concept story is less about an attention-grabbing premise and more about deep character development, relationships, and themes. Here we move away from flashy ‘What if?’ scenarios and focus more on how the story unfolds and on the emotions it explores.

Since the focus is on personal growth, relationships, and emotional depth, that means low-concept stories are character-driven. The drama comes from within, rather than from a big external event. The conflicts in these stories are interpersonal and internal. (Check the show notes for a link to a bonus episode where I explain seven literary conflicts.) Low-concept stories might not have mass-market hooks, but they do connect deeply with readers. These stories are harder to pitch in one sentence, but I urge you to try. You never know when you’re going to get that one fleeting moment to sell your book. Keep your elevator pitch locked and loaded.

For low-concept stories, think of books like Normal People by Sally Rooney, which follows two people navigating love, class, and identity. Or a film like Before Sunrise, where the entire premise is just two strangers walking around a city, talking. Nothing ‘big’ happens, but the emotional weight is what makes the story compelling.

You must have an idea by now as to whether your story is high-concept or low-concept, but let’s test it out. Number one: Can you pitch your book in one sentence and instantly hook someone? If yes, you’re probably writing a high-concept story. If no and the appeal is more in the journey than the premise, it’s likely a low-concept story.

Number two: Is your story driven by an extraordinary premise or by deep character development? If the plot stands out as the selling point, it’s high-concept. If the characters and their emotions are the focus, it’s low-concept.

Number three: Would your story work as a Hollywood blockbuster or is it more of a quiet, literary piece? If it’s big, cinematic, and gripping, it’s high-concept. If it’s subtle, intimate, and character-focused, it’s low-concept.

Now, I will say that I believe the film industry is changing quite a bit, and how we select and watch movies is revolutionizing, so this third question is not going to be readily understood by future generations, but we can explain it to them later via TikTok dances or something.

Disregard any positive or negative connotations you might have regarding the words high and low. Neither concept is better than the other. High-concept stories are easier to approach and sell, while low-concept stories tend to offer deeper, more emotionally resonant storytelling. Some books even blend both, like The Night Circus and The Time Traveler’s Wife, which both have a high-concept premise and deeply emotional, character-driven storytelling.

Whether you’re crafting a thrilling, high-concept adventure or an intimate, low-concept character study, the most important thing is execution. This means writing the best book you can. I’m talking blood, sweat, tears, and talent. A great book keeps readers hooked, no matter the concept.

And that’s a wrap on this bonus episode.

I hope at least one of those ideas made you nod or mutter “okay, fine, I’ll try that.”

Make sure you're following this podcast on whatever platform gets my voice to your ears. In addition to writing tips, I keep you informed with the latest publishing news and book trends.

Thank you so much for listening, and remember, you deserved this break.

Thank you for making space in your mind for The Muse today.

Writing Break is hosted by America’s Editor and produced by Allon Media with technical direction by Gus Aviles. Visit us at writingbreak.com or contact us at podcast@writingbreak.com.