Writing Advice for Young (and not so young!) Authors

One of the most common and exciting questions I get asked by readers is: Do you have any writing advice?

I’m honored my works are inspiring readers to tell their own tales. And because my advice is always the same, I thought it would be easiest to create this page to share my tips and tricks on how to become a better author.

Tip 1: Read!

You’ll hear every author say this, but it bears repeating. One of the best ways to become a better writer is to read. A lot. And not just the genre of books you normally read—try reading books that are outside of your usual interests.

Only like horror books? Try reading a romance. Only read fiction? Try a good nonfiction book. Shorts stories, essays, poetry . . . Every genre and format has its own unique qualities, and the more you read, the more you’ll discover topics and styles that you would like to try as well. Not only will you discover interests you never dreamed up, but reading will help improve your grammar and style just from osmosis!

Tip 2: Write!

I know, I know—these are all pretty standard. But I swear this is important.

The single most important thing you can do—and the hardest thing you can do—is to write. Every day. Whatever is on your mind. You don’t have to be working on a novel; you can journal, or write poems, or short stories, or character bios, or game ideas . . . anything! And just like my reading advice, it’s important to try writing in different styles. I didn’t like writing poetry or essays growing up, but I definitely learned a lot from trying, and that knowledge enhances my writing today.

Writing is like working out. The only way to grow is to keep at it. It’s hard work, and some days it feels impossible, but so long as you’re getting words on the page, you’re improving. (Even if it doesn’t feel like it all the time!)

Tip 3: Do something else!

Wait, what?

Yes, dear reader—my best advice for becoming a better writer is to go out and live.

It’s important to read a lot, but I think living an exciting life is just as important, if not more so. After all, you want to have something to write about!

Explore your interests. Practice other artforms. Try a new sport or two. Music and painting, dance and theatre, sculpture and soccer. Travel if you can. Join clubs that excite you or start your own. Do the things that scare you (so long as you do them safely!). Things that are silly. Things that make you smile or sweat. Because all of these things, in addition to just being fun, will give you something to write about.

If you’ve read my bio, you’ll know I used to teach circus arts. Learning aerial silk and contortion was always a dream of mine. And the moment I took my first class, I was hooked. That skill led me to traveling all over America and even overseas, and introduced me to many amazing people. It changed my life. And it gave me a ton of cool stories to tell, like my first trilogy (The Immortal Circus).

Find what excites you and go for it!

Tip 4: Take classes or workshops!

If your school has a creative writing class, awesome! English (or whatever your first/preferred language is!) classes are also great places to improve your writing skills. Writing is solitary work, and connecting with other writers is not only good for your mental health, but good for your story’s health. If you don’t have a workshop nearby, start one with a friend or two!

It’s important to learn how to critique other people’s work, just as it’s important to learn how to take critiques. Both of these will help you look at your own writing with a critical eye. Classes and workshops are great ways to level up your skills, and they can be a lot of fun, too!

Tip 5: Write a bunch of things!

I can’t tell you how many writers (adults especially) have told me about the book they’ve spent their entire life writing. They’ve written it a dozen times, have spent years perfecting it. It’s usually the first and only book they’ve ever written, and they care about it deeply.

It’s also (usually!) not any good.

They’ve spent so long working on only one thing, they can’t see its flaws. Chances are, if a book is taking ten years to write, it doesn’t want to get written!

Yes, it is important to edit. And yes, some books take a long time to be written (see the next point!), but very often the best thing you can do if a book is fighting you, or if you’ve only done one thing for a long time, is to set it aside and start something new. Something perfectly different.

You can always come back to that first project. And I guarantee you you’ll come back with more ideas and a better perspective on how to make it shine.

I’ve had to abandon multiple books in the past. It hurts every time. But sometimes those ideas come back in other books, or I get inspired years later on how to make them better. It’s all part of the process of becoming a better writer.

Tip 6: keep going!

Writing can be hard work, especially when you’re working on something as long as a novel. Sometimes it feels like you aren’t making any progress—especially when you’ve had to delete or rewrite long chunks. Just know that all authors have been there. I’ve had to completely rewrite a few of my books multiple times. I’ve deleted enough chapters to fill a trilogy.

It hurts! But when it’s done, I’m usually very proud of how much better it has become. Editing is part of the process, as is staring out the window thinking, or losing sleep as you ponder ideas. It all takes time—sometimes years—and sometimes, the book you’re writing now isn’t the book you will end up with.

Just don’t give up! And if it becomes too much, well, that’s why Tip 3 is up where it is. Go do something else for a bit. Refill your creative well. Your story will be waiting to be told when you’re ready to come back to it.

I have faith in you.
The world needs to hear your story.