Robin Talley’s Top 3 Writing Tips
1. Start with a plan. Personally, I’m a big outliner — I use spreadsheets to plan my novels, then more spreadsheets to revise them — but you don’t have to make an official outline if the prospect seems overwhelming. It is good, though, to have some ideas in your head of where a story might go so you don’t wind up floundering when you get past the beginning. And if you think there’s any chance you might forget what you had in mind, write it down. You don’t have to follow your original plan to the letter by any means, but having a record of it can be a jumping off point as you keep brainstorming if nothing more.
2. Try to write — or at least think about writing — as close to every day as possible. This can be hard, especially in the middle of holidays and travel and other obligations, but for me, once I’ve started a writing project I need to keep working on it or I’ll lose the momentum and it will be much harder to dive back in. I try to plan in advance when I’ll squeeze in pockets of writing/brainstorming time even during busy periods — when my daughter is napping, for example, or for an hour at night after an evening with my extended family.
3. Read as much — and as widely — as possible. This is my biggest tip, especially for writers who are just starting out. You should always be reading something. Definitely make sure you read in the genre/category you’re writing in, but read outside it, too. If you write YA, then make sure you’re reading YA, but also read adult and middle grade books. If you write thrillers, then by all means read your favorite thriller authors, but also make a conscious effort to read outside your comfort zone. Contemporary stories, fantasies, nonfiction, even fanfiction — all of it helps develop your writing muscles and expand your thinking.
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