Writing Tips from Famous Authors that Will Leave You Inspired
Writing is a craft that you develop throughout your life. Each individual has their unique writing style which sets them apart from others. Honing your skills while maintaining your voice requires persistence. All great writers have allowed their writing to evolve with time. As budding writers, we would be curious to know the mantras they’ve followed throughout their careers to achieve this greatness.
Thus, if you’re looking for advice on perfecting your craft, who better to hear it from than your favourite authors? Read on to learn from the best in order to become your best-
- Stephen King
“I am always astonished by the would-be writers who ask me for advice and admit, quite blithely, that they ‘don’t have time to read.’ This is like a guy starting up Mount Everest saying that he didn’t have time to buy any rope or pitons.”
Award-winning novelist Stephen King’s advice for aspiring writers is to read a lot in order to be able to write. This is because only reading will help you familiarise yourself with the intricacies of the art of writing. It not only builds vocabulary and develops our imagination but also helps us refine our judgment on others’ writings as well as our own.
Writing tip: Become a good reader in order to become a great writer.
- Jodi Picoult
“If you have a limited amount of time to write, you just sit down and do it. You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”
New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult offers the simplest, yet most effective way of overcoming the dreaded writer’s block. She says that instead of being discouraged by a blank canvas, you should see it as an opportunity to explore endless possibilities. You just have to begin writing, even if it doesn’t flow or make sense at first. It’s tough to edit a blank screen with no text. Don’t overthink it, just put your pen to paper.
Writing tip: You have to start somewhere. Trust yourself, and begin to write.
- Maya Angelou
“You have to get to a very quiet place inside yourself. And that doesn’t mean that you can’t have noise outside… I think each writer has her or his secret path to the muse.”
American poet and memoirist Maya Angelou believed that each writer has to find his or her place, which will inspire them to write. She has said she knew a writer who stood for six hours with a typewriter on a podium and another writer who wrote on a computer in a closet with their back to the door, facing the wall. Where do you go to find your inner quiet and be struck by the muse?
Writing tip: Every writer has their own method. Find out what gets your creative juices flowing.
- Haruki Murakami
“I keep to my routine every day without variation. The repetition itself becomes the important thing; it’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.”
Murakami believes in the power of a routine for a successful writing career. He maintains strict discipline as he moves through exercising, writing, eating healthy and indulging in leisurely activities. Maintaining a schedule is key to staying motivated to write. Don’t neglect your physical and mental wellbeing. It is essential to take adequate breaks to avoid monotony and exhaustion.
Writing tip: Stick to a routine and take frequent breaks while writing
- Toni Morrison
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”
Finally, these are Toni Morrison’s famous words of advice that have given birth to millions of writers around the world. If you’re fed up with whatever the prevailing literary trend is, you can be the change you wish to see in the world. If you believe that you have something meaningful to tell the world and that it hasn’t been told by any writer yet, go forth and rise up to the challenge. Your words can make all the difference in transforming the literary scene.
Writing tip: Don’t ignore the voice inside you that can ignite a revolution.
The task of putting pen to paper can feel daunting. There is no one way to express your creativity as a writer. Everybody has a story to tell; a story that the whole world needs to hear. If you’re struggling to get those words out, we hope this collection of thoughts have helped. All our literary greats have persisted in their efforts to touch lives with their writing. Like them, we must be open to new possibilities while staying true to what we believe in.
