Tips on writing fiction

Calling all writers. Do you want to write fiction? Are you not sure how to? Need some writing tips for authors? Well, the good news is that fiction gives you the opportunity to create a whole world, meaning there really aren't any rules you need to follow. However, here are some fiction writing tips that can help you along the way.

Forget about the infamous saying, 'write what you know', more importantly...

Write something you love

Writing a book is difficult, you need to stay motivated and if you hate the story you're writing, then finishing it will be even harder. This disinterest in your fiction may also show in your writing and affect the quality of your writing. So don't force it and find a genre or topics you truly enjoy writing about.

Timing is everything

Think about the information you're giving to your readers and make sure you are revealing it at the right time. First of all, you don't want to overload your readers with too much information, but also withholding information from your readers and revealing it at the right time is a great way to build up tension and create dramatic irony. Some of the best stories have revealed information at the right time, for example the vision in the final Twilight movie or the second section reveal in Gone Girl.

Consistency is key

I know, I said no rules when it comes to writing fiction, but if you take one thing from this blog post, let it be this. Consistency is ESSENTIAL. Imagine you're reading a book and the main character's hair colour keeps changing from blonde to brown or your story is set in the summer and all of a sudden with no explanation, it's snowing. This will break the illusion of your book and your reader may lose interest in your story because it just doesn't add up. No matter what world you're creating, there will never be a place for inconsistencies.

Don't over-think the process

If your goal is to write a book, a lot of the time it can feel like such a task that is so far out of reach. It can feel impossible when you start thinking about how to write a fiction book, but the trick is not to think that way. You don't have to sit down and write a book from start to finish. Writing a book is a process and every author has their own way of doing it. The way to succeed is to find what works for you. However as an author myself, I can say that my writing process changes with each book I am writing.

Practice makes perfect

The best way to improve your writing skill is by writing. And by this, I don't mean sitting down and forcing a full-length novel out of you. There are so many exercises out there that can help you improve your skills. This is also a great way to experiment with your writing and find out what you like writing and what you may not. Through writing exercises, I found out that I enjoyed writing genres that I didn't think I would as they're not necessarily genres I would normally read.

Writing prompts are a great way to do this, check out the writing prompts and writing techniques on Sophie's Proof and try them for yourself.

Keep it simple

Don't overcomplicate your writing with fancy words, a bunch of complex sentences (we love compound and simple sentences too) or a very intricate plot. A good piece of fiction is measured on how well the story is told to the reader so don't worry about anything else. Remember however you start your fiction, whatever style you are writing in, this will have to be consistent throughout your writing, therefore make sure it's something you can keep up throughout.

Now let's write some fiction!