6 Things a New Writer Should Always Do

While there are a number of writing tips and processes a new writer should follow, below are six of the most important for new authors.

1. Stop. Learn. Jump.

I see it much too often. Authors jump into writing and publishing a book without knowing a thing about writing. 

If you STOP and think about it, anything a person wants to accomplish needs a foundation and building materials.

Want to play the piano?

Guess what. You need to learn how to play.

Want to become an electrician or plumber?

Guess what. You need to learn how to do it.

Want to work in finance or become a nurse, a doctor? 

Again… you need to learn how. 

Writing is a skill; it’s a profession just like any other. 

This is especially true when writing for children. There are many additional guidelines to follow in the children’s writing arena.

This process involves spelling, writing mechanics, grammar, story structure, and other essential elements, which are the foundation of good writing.

So, stop and think about what you want to do. Then, take the time and effort and, if needed and within your budget, spend the money to learn how to write. The next step is to jump in and write your outline or first draft.

2. Decide how you want to write.

I’m a pantser, usually, which means I fly by the seat of my pants. I jump in and start my story without an outline. I have an idea, then let the story and characters take me on the journey.

Now, this isn’t for everyone. And if you’re writing a novel, it’s probably best to have some kind of outline to guide you from point A to point B.

While I jump in to write picture books and chapter books, I do use an outline for middle-grade stories. 

When writing 30,000 to 100,000 words, there are so many things to remember. It’s not wise to leave the details to chance; it will lead to mistakes.

There’s no right or wrong way to write regarding outlining or flying by the seat of your pants. Just use whichever process you’re comfortable with.

3. It’s always a good idea to use character sheets (cards).

While character sheets are a useful tool, if you’re writing a children’s picture book of under 800 words, you may not want to spend the time on them. But beyond that, it’d be wise to create one for each character in your story.

According to Reference.com:

“The term 'character development’ can be used in literary contexts to refer to the way in which a written character is described and fleshed out.” (1)

Creating your character is the process of adding factors like personality, family and friends, appearance, and other elements that make your character believable and unique. Even your character’s name matters.

Character sheets help you keep all the details intact. If you forget something about a character, simply check the sheet.

And if you add a new quality to the character, add it to the sheet.

4. Pause before acting on the information you get online.

The internet lets everyone and anyone offer writing advice. Some of it is excellent, but some isn't.

Keep in mind that someone just starting on the writing path may decide to give advice on his blog to keep it active.

Be cautious and know who is offering the advice. It’s always best to take advice from an experienced writer with a track record.

5. Revise. Edit. Proof. Revising, editing, and proofreading are essential, but they should be done after you actually write the first draft. Let the first draft just flow; get the words down. 

Once you have the first draft, it’s time to revise. 

Revision is the main part of writing. It’s the fine-tuning of the overall story. This process involves looking at the story structurally and logically to ensure all the elements of a good story are present. 

Once you revise the story and it’s where it should be, it’s on to editing.

Editing deals with sentence structure. It ensures each sentence is structurally sound and clear.

Finally, it’s on to proofreading. 

The proofreading phase is where you get out your magnifying glass to check each sentence, line by line. The goal here is to find typos, misspelled words, sentence and paragraph beginnings, and so on.

6. Get your work critiqued and accept feedback graciously.

If you’re a smart writer, you will have a critique group or at least one qualified person to review your work. Or you may hire a professional to review or critique it.

It’s nearly impossible to see all the mistakes you might have made. Basically, your brain knows what you wrote, and that’s what it’ll see. 

In an article at Wired.com, psychologist Tom Stafford is quoted as saying:

“The reason we don't see our own typos is because what we see on the screen is competing with the version that exists in our heads.” (2)

That's why it’s a good idea to be part of a critique group or hire a professional writer to go over your manuscript.

While it’s important to have your manuscript critiqued, it’s also important to accept any feedback graciously. 

With that said, this isn’t to say you need to incorporate everything you’re told into your story, but you should take the feedback to heart. If it makes sense, use it. If it doesn’t make sense, don’t use it. You know what your story is about better than anyone else.

(1) https://www.reference.com/world-view/definition-character-development-1a0cb87e27929d2d

(2) https://www.wired.com/2014/08/wuwt-typos/

I’m a working children’s ghostwriter, book doctor, editor, and self-publishing consultant. I help turn your idea, outline, or manuscript into a book you’ll be proud to call your own—and provide hands-on guidance through every step of the self-publishing process.

OTHER HELP I OFFER:

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK
A 200+ page book that will help you write your own children’s book.

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4- to 12-week programs

WRITERS ON THE MOVE SELF-PUBLISHING CONSULTING AND SERVICES
Guidance and more for children’s authors (specializing in picture books and chapter books)

You can contact me at kcioffiventrice@gmail.com.