8 Tips for engaging writing

1 — Write as often as you can

This is the first piece of advice I was ever given by a professional author friend of mine, and it still holds true to this day. Unless you are a savant, writing is an art you need to practice and hone in order to click with your readership. I try to set aside at least two hours a day to write, thirty minutes for warm-up and then the rest to writing what matters.

Not everything you have to write will be perfect, indeed it is likely you will need to edit and re-edit and re-edit, but by writing every day you get into the habit of engaging that part of your brain. You also learn the cadence of typing/handwriting, which helps with the flow of your ideas. I touch type, which means I do not have to think at the speed I type, which in turn allows my words to flow onto the page.

2 — Know your audience

If you are only writing for yourself, fantastic, but if not, you will need to understand your audience. Writing professionally is more than simply the words on the paper and ideas you convey; every audience expects and understands different things, so if you are trying to write a maths PhD thesis you would not aim it at kinder gardens. You need to read around: look at the styles, tone of voice, content, syntax, context, and images used. Everything adds up for the audience experience, which you will need to consider in your work.

Alongside this, especially if you are pitching your work for sale, you will need to understand how your work will be marketed. This is as much about the content of your writing as it is about style. Audiences both expect a certain thing and look for something new. Unless you are entering a very established field, such as certain academic ones, always try to be fresh with those conventions and add a spritz that the reader has never seen before. Some publishers/content providers want to churn out the same old, so you will have to be comfortable with the house style.

3 — There is no such thing as perfect

This is the cardinal sin of all writing, no matter how well received your content is, someone will always pick it apart and make you feel like crap. Or vice versa. All writers are perfectionists, we all want to write the next best seller, Nobel prize winning paper, Oscar winning screen play, but everything is so utterly subjective. As is taste.

Now, that is not to say there is not such thing as badly written, as oh my days there is surely such a thing. However, the difference between badly written and perfect is learning when you need to refine and when you need to let go. A 95% published work is better than a 99.9% unpublished one. Of course, you will always want to make corrections to your writing, I sure as heck always do, but that is not to say that editing ad infinitum will get you anywhere. The trick is letting your darling go off into the wide world yonder at just the right moment.

4 — Learn to accept useful critique, and let go of the cynics

I will hold my hand up that I do not always follow this rule. Indeed, the cynics often get me furiously re-writing when in fact I should take a step back and critically engage with what they are saying. The same goes for praise. Critique is a vital part of a writer’s toolkit; indeed I would argue it is probably the second most important one after writing itself. It allows you to gain a sense of perspective, yet at the same time if you allow too much cynicism or praise to creep in you will end up with writing that does not connect.

It takes experience to balance out the useful critique from the praise and cynics. Useful criticism helps build your writing, making it strong and more impactful. Bad critiques either over-egg your world and miss important failings, or conversely, destroy your confidence. Every single piece of writing can be adjusted and amended, and as per point 3, there is always room for improvement. Learning to fine tune your critiquing process will allow you to set aside the negative negatives and use your reviewers as a tool for effective change.

5 — Plan and have an outline in mind

Granted, this is something I do not follow with every piece of writing, but with longer pieces I always look to provide scaffolding I can follow. You will find a method that works for you, and doubtless you will have come across planning tips and tricks already. Effective writing does take structure, and for shorter pieces an understanding of opening, body, and conclusion will suffice. In longer pieces, especially books and scripts, engaging writing takes laying out and understanding where the writing will end up.

Not that you must stick to your plan rigidly, mind. Often what you write will invariably shift and alter your plans, so do not be afraid to re-route your river of words to fit your thread, rather than having to unpick your writing to a rigid seam. Ideas and narratives flow at their own pace, and while it is always a good idea to edit your work, do not be afraid to go with the process.

6 — If it gets boring or becomes a chore, stop

This is something I always must bear in mind. I am lucky that I get to write for a living, and as such it comes with both the joy of sitting here writing articles, books, blogs and more. Yet, there are also moments where inspiration runs dry and I simply stop. Forced writing always comes across to a reader, as do ideas shoehorned in because there is nothing left to give. If you are not feeling it, get up, grab a drink or something to eat, and come back to it later. Yes, there are such things as deadlines, but forcing yourself to write will only make you hate it more.

This is where warm-up exercise and planning come in. By warming up you allow your writing muscles to stretch and get used to the process. With effective planning you can lay things out that if you get stock, bored, or frustrated with one part you can move on to the next. Professional, engaging writing is as much about the process as it is about your personal style, and if you can get the process right the style should hopefully flow.

7 — The is no right way to write

This sounds obvious, but it is worth repeating. Of course, there are plenty of wrong ways to string together a sentence or fifty, but with respect to voice, tone, style, and content this is where you come in. Your narrative voice is unique to you, and while you may be influenced by your favourite authors and writers, ultimately what will engage your audience is your own unique style.

Finding your voice is a process that could take minutes or years. The more you write the more you find what you want to say, and your work will reflect this. It is also the thing that your readers will come back for more, and over time they will grow familiar with your cadence, syntax, and style.

8 — Edit, edit, edit, and edit some more

Finally, and this is probably the third most important point, edit your work! Not that you need reminding, and as I have reiterated throughout nothing is ever going to be perfect but editing your work will save you so much hassle in the long run. Readers hate badly edited work full of mis-spelt words, grammatical errors, and generally bad syntax. The more a chore it is to read, the less likely a reader is to fully engage with your writing.

If you feel you suck at grammar, spelling, and punctuation then ask someone to proofread for you. If you are using a word processor learn to wield spelling and grammar checks like mighty swords of truth. They are not infallible, and I would always advise giving your work at least one read through, but for the sake of your readers please, please, please edit your work. Plus, it will help make you a better writer.