The greatest tip on how to be a great writer.
seeing your own work like an editor. stepping back and seeing it from a distance.
What is the greatest rule? Having the ability to step back from your work and see it as though it’s someone else’s book. The ability to see the bigger picture, see your work as a whole. Not get bogged down in the little details. This way you can review it and see its faults.
In this blog, we will be looking at The greatest tip on how to be a great writer…
THE GREATEST TIP ON HOW TO BE A GREAT WRITER
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The problem with writers is they get too caught up in the nitty, gritty of the little things like when to use a comma or the wording of a paragraph. They end up losing sight of the overall flow of their novel. They cannot sense the pacing, speed, character arcs. Most writers need to hand their novel over to someone else to read it to point out errors. However when you develop the ability to self-edit as you write everything speeds up. Instead of countless re-reads leading you to give up, you can get your novel perfect right away.
Writing a novel is like being in a maze. You don’t know to go left or right, you think you’re going the right way until to come up to a wall. No matter how right you think you are you find yourself lost again. But imagine if you could float above the maze and see it from above. You’d know what way to go the first time.
FLOAT ABOVE YOUR WORK
Great writers have the ability to float above their novels. They can see their novel’s character arcs, pacing, plot outline. Acts 1, 2, and 3 and conclusion. They know what needs to be changed. Imagine being able to proofread your work as you write. Having a greater understanding of what makes a novel work as you write.
Your second and third rewrites will move super fast. Some great writers don’t need more than 2 drafts. Because they can judge their work as they’re writing. If the story is too slow at times they can sense it. If the theme is off they can tell and make changes. They see their work from start to finish overall and know what needs to be changed. They’re seeing the forest, not failing to see the forest because of the tree right in front of them.
KNOW WHAT THE READER WANTS
Think of a famous comedian. When they’re sitting at home they can see themselves on stage. They can picture themselves telling a joke and know if the audience will truly laugh or not. Somehow they have the ability to know if something will be funny. An amateur comedian will picture themselves telling a joke and having to guess if the audience will laugh. But the true greats know in their hearts about timing and pacing of a joke for it to work. They know what parts of a joke need to be changed to make the timing better. They do all this all in their mind.
Great novel writers know what storylines have to be changed to make the novel work. They can tell if the novel is flowing well, if the character arcs are real and powerful. They can write a horror novel and know if it will be scary or not. Having the ability to see your novel from a distance will change everything.
KNOWING YOUR THEME KEEPS YOU ON COURSE
To be a great writer you first need to understand the different aspects of great novel writing. About the 3-act structure, the villains and hero conflict, how the ending of chapters with tension will lead the reader to feel compiled to read on. As you write you can sense if you’re on the right track. It’s important to know your theme from the start, that will help the most to stay on course. Many writers get off course because they don’t know the over all theme. They may not sense while writing, but the reader will.
Another problem writers have is losing the pace. Your book should be a straight arrow, where the hero has a goal and moves towards it. The reader needs to know what the goal is. Letting the story flow. Building with tension as you move from one act to the next.
ONLY HAVE ONE STORYLINE
It’s about having only one storyline. Don’t drift off-topic. Don’t have the mission the hero is on change throughout the novel. It needs resolution at the end. New writers make the mistake of having their novel wander like a figure 8 instead of a straight line. But it’s not only a straight line but an arrow because the story needs a feeling of movement. A feeling your novel is going somewhere and you’re taking the reader along for the ride. When you read over your book see if it feels like an arrow moving or is it a mix of characters drifting into each other leaving the reader confused as to the main storyline.
The pacing of the novel is important. It needs to start slow and get faster as it goes right to the finish. You don’t want the novel getting faster only to slow down near the end. It kills all the momentum you have been building towards. This is where getting someone else to read your novel comes in handy. They can tell if it’s slowing down. But as the writer, you want this ability as well. To read over what you have written and sense whether or not the pacing is too fast or slowing down. This can be done if you’re reading your novel from start to finish as though you’re reading someone else’s book. It’s about clearing your mind and letting yourself read without judging yourself. Simply read it as though a stranger wrote it.
SEE YOUR NOVEL AS THOUGH IT WERE A MOVIE
Another great technique is seeing your novel in your mind as though it’s a movie. Imagine you’re sitting in a movie theater and the movie playing is your novel brought to life. What do you think of it? Is it great or boring? How’s the pacing? Are you falling asleep or on the edge of your seat? Do you understand the goal of the lead character? Is the villain evil? Is your villain complex, believing they’re the good guy with honest motives? Does the movie wander around without direction?
The more you can see your novel as a movie the more you’ll know if it’s on track or falling apart. While seeing in your mind ask yourself, how’s the character build up? The story arc? The pace, flow, does it make sense? Is it funny, scary? Dramatic? Moving? Would your novel win best picture if it were a movie? Don’t judge it as your novel, but imagine it was a movie made by a stranger. Would you still like it? The more honest you are the better changes you can make.
SEE YOUR WORK FROM A DISTANCE
Thinking like an editor is tricky, it’s hard to see your own work at a distance, handing it over to someone else can help, but if you can come up with ideas as though an independent editor, it can speed up your writing. Changing your novel from something average to something amazing.
Learn everything you can about novel writing and learn how to apply it as you write. Study character arcs, theme, messaging. 3 act structure. Wants and needs. Stepping back from your work and seeing the start to finish in your mind like a movie and knowing if the public will love it. Don’t say yes because it’s “your novel.” truly judge it as though it’s someone else’s work.
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