• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Blog
  • Writing Advice
  • Publishing Advice
  • About
  • Take a Class
  • Get Editing

Favorite Writing Tips

November 11, 2013 by Nathan Bransford 3 Comments

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the #FaveWritingTip contest! We had several hundred excellent entries, and I collected some of the best responses below.

The! Winner! Is! Lela Gwenn, who had the good fortune of having random.org shine upon her and she also happened to have some solid advice with her tweet:

#FaveWritingTip Write. Write poorly, but WRITE https://t.co/2RUJZQywUJ
— Lela Gwenn (@LGwenn) November 6, 2013

Here are some of my favorite #FaveWritingTip tweets:

#FaveWritingTip Learn the rules then break them.
https://t.co/8e9KlBGugd
— Robin Connelly (@RobinConnelly) November 9, 2013

Fiction tip: Don’t tell me it’s raining. Show me what it feels like to be standing in the rain. https://t.co/eASodnSUJm #FaveWritingTip
— Bobbi Dempsey (@bobbidempsey) November 8, 2013

Listen to very loud music for an hour, then turn it off and start writing immediately. https://t.co/FbtNixX7gJ #FaveWritingTip
— Simon Agirlandaboy (@Simon_the_boy) November 5, 2013

Don’t be afraid to go there. Scary writing is good writing. https://t.co/zvaeNIMJCe #FaveWritingTip
— Lisa Franek (@lisafranek) November 5, 2013

Enjoy the process, even the hard moments. https://t.co/ypmYeQA0oA #FaveWritingTip
— Roseanne Cheng (@Teachablelit) November 5, 2013

#FaveWritingTip The perfect is the enemy of the good. https://t.co/abQSEtqFuA @NathanBransford
— Jaimie (@thejaimie) November 5, 2013

If you don’t love what you wrote, why should anyone else? https://t.co/lo1DOzOzYm #FaveWritingTip
— Ashley (@AshleyEpidemic) November 5, 2013

You’re not as good a writer as you think you are. Or as bad. https://t.co/URGJyIxujB #FaveWritingTip
— johnesimpson (@johnesimpson) November 5, 2013

Stop not typing. #FaveWritingTip
— Daniel Southwell (@dpsouthwell) November 5, 2013

When writing fiction, stick with the word “said.” Let the reader figure out HOW it’s said. https://t.co/aLV7CAXEqE #FaveWritingTip
— Tracy Edward Wymer (@TracyEWymer) November 5, 2013

It’s not about word count–it’s about writing words that count. https://t.co/0Gqwo9Fh0E #FaveWritingTip
— Linda Kozar (@LindaKozar) November 5, 2013

“Start at the beginning, and when you get to the end, stop.” – the Mad Hatter https://t.co/fZAfd0nCBG #FaveWritingTip
— Bruce Bonafede (@brucebonafede) November 5, 2013

You don’t have to start a book in the beginning. https://t.co/h8XozD6cQI #FaveWritingTip
— Amber Polo (@AmberPolo) November 6, 2013

You mean I can’t put together all my journal entries to create one huge boring novel? Damn it. #FaveWritingTip https://t.co/AQuMefPg9t
— MaryRose Lovgren (@maryroselovgren) November 6, 2013

Write as if you’re writing a letter to a friend you can tell anything.
https://t.co/n5uPDpbc0q #FaveWritingTip
— Steve MC (@steve_mc2) November 6, 2013

Find your crutch words and nuke them all. https://t.co/KmnlseOZGU #FaveWritingTip
— Vicki Leigh (@vleighwrites) November 6, 2013

Stuck in a scene?Skip to one that you can see in your mind & write it!Go revisit the first one later! https://t.co/ivJu9QLpYN #FaveWritingTip
— corsetkitten (@corsetkitten) November 6, 2013

You can’t edit a story that hasn’t been written yet, so get writing! https://t.co/oxUbtgbWEl #FaveWritingTip
— Savannah (@srslysavvy) November 6, 2013

My #FaveWritingTip: It’s OK to suck. Write crap now, fix crap later. https://t.co/i9txwYzWkX
— Elizabeth (@lizwritesbooks) November 6, 2013

Hemingway said it: There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. https://t.co/uuecvSGZyg #FaveWritingTip
— Laura Martone (@lauramartone) November 6, 2013

Don’t worry. Don’t hurry. Don’t quit.
https://t.co/ynxI53DglV
#FaveWritingTip
— Abbe Hoggan (@AbbeHoggan) November 6, 2013

#FaveWritingTip Find a reliable vehicle named VOICE and a road called PLOT and get ready for detours … https://t.co/8uIdknF3Hs
— Julie McSorley (@autoteller) November 6, 2013

Give each scene a goal, & have it do 3 things: reveal info, illuminate character, move plot forward https://t.co/CmASolDJ1G #FaveWritingTip
— Rebekah Haskell (@rhaskell) November 6, 2013

My fave writing tip? Jane Yolen’s BIC. That’s Butt in Chair. https://t.co/aBa2itW7FN #FaveWritingTip
— Hayley Barrett (@hayleybwrites) November 6, 2013

#FaveWritingTip: Break down pages w/tension, suspense, loss, etc in great books to see how those authors make it work https://t.co/J2sKn3Vlwr
— Kate Brauning (@KateBrauning) November 6, 2013

READ. WRITE. REPEAT. https://t.co/xCewS5gecL #FaveWritingTip
— Sonja Thomas (@bysonjathomas) November 6, 2013

Believe, believe, believe that you can make it to the end. And then make it to The End. https://t.co/d5Bp7iQEid #FaveWritingTip #NaNoWriMo
— Courtney Leigh (@CourtLeighLove) November 6, 2013

Words can be edited, changed, made better. Blank pages can only be changed by words. So write them. https://t.co/EIEEVsEDH8 #FaveWritingTip
— L. L. McKinney (@Tangynt) November 7, 2013

“You have to finish things – that’s what you learn from, you learn by finishing things.” @neilhimself #FaveWritingTip https://t.co/a2V21EcHAa
— Ree Callahan (@ReeCallahan) November 7, 2013

Writing Tip: Don’t allow rejections to determine your worth as a writer. Every writer gets rejected https://t.co/gdiNNCpBka #FaveWritingTip
— LindseyBell (@LindseyMBell) November 7, 2013

“You write your first draft with your heart, and you rewrite with your head.” ~James Ellison https://t.co/xoyzD1zcb1 #FaveWritingTip
— Nicole Knatcal (@NovembersGuest) November 8, 2013

Feeling stuck? Take a shower. While your body relaxes your brain can work out things in new ways. #FaveWritingTip https://t.co/T8mkNzOU6x
— Melissa DeCocq (@Vexin417) November 8, 2013

Don’t let the first draft discourage you. https://t.co/ot7MzOfZK8 #FaveWritingTip
— Dan Hope (@Endovert) November 8, 2013

3 major types of scenes: action, reaction, exposition. Too slow? Add action. Too fast? Add reaction. https://t.co/4Oxv2sunRZ #FaveWritingTip
— Daniel Knight (@smalltowncity) November 8, 2013

Filed Under: Contests, Writing Advice Tagged With: contests, writing advice

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jennifermhartsock says

    November 12, 2013 at 4:46 am

    This was a fun contest and the advice you received is great.

    Take care,
    Jennifer

    Reply
  2. Justajo says

    November 13, 2013 at 5:24 am

    Awesome! (My writing tip: don't use "awesome.") Thanks to everyone. A real help.

    Reply
  3. Dan Erickson says

    November 18, 2013 at 1:56 pm

    Great tips and quotes.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Nathan

Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors achieve their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

My blog has everything you need to know to write, edit, and publish a book. Can’t find what you need or want personalized help? Reach out.

Learn more about me

Need Editing?

I'm available for consultations, edits, query critiques, brainstorming, and more.
Learn more!

My Books

How to Write A Novel
Cover of How to Publish a Book by Nathan Bransford
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapo
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe
Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp

Forums

Need help with your query? Want to talk books? Check out the Nathan Bransford Forums
Footer Logo
Nathan Bransford

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Editing Services
  • My Books
  • About Me
  • Blog Directory
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Twitter Logo Facebook Logo Instagram Logo
As an Amazon and Bookshop Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and Bookshop links are usually affiliate links.