There’s a whole lot of bad writing advice out there for people who want to write a book (or those who started writing a book and can’t seem to finish it).  Some might need to hire a ghostwriter to help them (scroll to the bottom and book some time with me if you’re in that camp).  Others might need to stop listening to all the bad advice out there, and find the groove that works for them.

I’ll help you with some practical tips that actually help.  Then, we’re gonna bust those myths that spread around online and need to be dumped with that stale cup of coffee you’re gagging down as you try to push through with a little bit more caffeine.

Writing Advice That’s Actually Useful

Let’s start out with ways you can actually get your book finished.  Some tips that will actually help you.

Write First, Edit Later – Two schools of thought here.  One is to keep that momentum going, when you’re on a roll just keep writing!  On the other hand, it’s hard to go back through a huge document and edit later.  Personally, I like to edit as I go along, but if I’m on a roll, let the words flow!

Read a Lot – You never know where you’ll get some inspiration.  As a writer, it often comes from other writings.  Little quips you read (sometimes hear) that you can put your own spin on.  That inspiration rarely comes while watching Netflix or playing games.  Reading also helps you see other writers’ styles and how sentences ought to be structured.

Set Writing Goals – I touched on this recently when we talked about your writing routine.  Goals can be word counts, or time limits.  If one isn’t working for you, change the goal.  Instead of writing 2,000 words today, you’ll write for 35 minutes instead.  I’ve had days where I look at the screen for an hour and get 50 words out.  Then I delete them and go make myself a grilled cheese sandwich.

Skip the Introduction – Not forever, but for now.  Sometimes, the best place to start writing is in the middle.  In fact, it’s often used in Hollywood and movies.  The introduction shows the conflict, and then suddenly you see the text at the bottom, “Three Weeks Earlier.”  You don’t have to do the flashback/flashforward thing, but you can start in the middle, and go write the introduction later.

Write like a Human – Two things here.  First, write closer to how you talk.  We were taught to write formally, but we don’t talk formally (that’s why I very often use slang in my writing).  Subsequently, your syntactic constructions need not be inundated with grandiloquent verbiage; individuals vest greater credence in your discourse should you conduct yourself as an average human being rather one that has perused a lexicon with compulsive fervor.  In other words – Second, your sentences don’t have to be filled with big and obscure words; people will trust you more if you write like a human and not like someone who has consulted a thesaurus for every sentence.

Writing Tips that Suck More than a Sliver Between the Toes

I love going barefoot in the summer.  Once, a number of years ago, I stepped on a little sliver of metal that wedged between my second toe and middle toe.  That thing hurt really, really bad.  Fortunately, it came out easily and no long-term effects (other than my toe fell off, but that’s probably totally unrelated).

Don’t be like me, skip this writing advice.

Write What You Know – Here’s a little sneak peek: a lot of what I write about, I have just researched it.  You don’t have to ONLY write what you know, you can write about things that interest you and you learn along the way.  PS, writing about writing isn’t stuff I just researched – I’ve been doing this for a little while now.

Show ‘em, Don’t Tell ‘em! – You know the adage, show them, don’t tell them.  It’s the idea of building a story around an otherwise dry narrative.  The truth is, we don’t need Oscar worthy storylines with everything.  In fact, often just straight and to-the-point is better.

Write Every Day – If you force yourself to write every day, you’ll force yourself into a burnout box.  Especially if writing is more of a task and less of something you do to decompress.  Real writers come back, even after breaks.  Even for us professional ghostwriters, sometimes I’ll go several days between working on a book as I let those thoughts ferment for a bit.

Always Outline! – Alternatively, Never Outline!  Outlining your work is a great way to ensure all of your thoughts are accounted for.  Personally, I like a simple outline so I don’t miss a key point (or have to go back later and figure out how to insert it).  Find the process that works well for you, and go for it.

Suffer for Your Art – The tortured artist is a well-known trope.  The broken, depressed, emotionally chaotic individual who slogs through their work to ultimately create a masterpiece.  It’s a toxic idea that glamorizes suffering and encourages poor mental health.  Here’s a better piece of advice: if you hate writing, don’t do it (then scroll to the last section and read that one).

Create Your Own Writing Process

Okay, so wrapping up the writing advice section here.  I’m creating an absolute shit-ton of blog posts that are packed full of ways you can get your book written.  I show how my process works, how you can structure your own, and some ideas that can get you going.  Read through, follow along, and pick and choose what works best for you.

Keep in mind, maybe none of them do.

How to Finally Get Your Book Written

Maybe writing just isn’t for you.  Maybe it makes your stomach tense up thinking about spending time in front of the computer pounding out the sentences so you can finally get that thing done… only to agonize through it all.

You have an incredible story, but you just can’t get the words onto paper (or screen, in this modern day of writing).

If that’s you, you’re not alone.  A huge number of published authors didn’t actually type out their book.  Book some time with me on my calendar, embedded below, and let’s see where you’re at and how hiring a ghostwriter can get that book from an idea in your head, to a book in our hand.