10 Things New Writers Should Be Doing

So I’m in full writing mode at the moment, and I can’t help but kick myself for not starting some things sooner. Here’s a short list of things I wish I’d been doing years ago.

1. Get proactive.

First and foremost, writers today need to be working on their careers whenever possible, that’s what this whole article is about. They should never miss an opportunity and always need to be on the lookout for something they can do to bolster their portfolio and get their name out there. This first point is really about the attitude a writer needs to have, rather than any specific action. People around you may mock your writing career as a hobby, but writers need to have a professional, active attitude with regards to their career advancement.

2. Enter writing competitions.

There are scores of competitions you can enter if you look around, from short flash fiction to novel length entries. Some of them have themes or specific ideas to explore while others are open to any kind of work. They are an excellent way for a writer to cut their teeth and represent a much lower time/work investment than the long slog of writing a novel. As well as prizes, some of the competitions will even offer feedback (usually for a fee) which can be very useful for a writer to gauge their work in terms of professional quality. The competitions are usually run by authors or editors who know what they’re talking about.

3. Get organised with a competition calendar.

A nice segue way from the last point and a way to get motivated about writing. Having a competition calendar can give a writer a much needed kick up the backside and get them working. It’s one thing to think, “I’ll get round to it soon” as the pressures of life build up, but when you see the deadline dates loom on your homemade competition calendar it forces you to work or know that you’ve missed the chance. Key points to include on a competition calendar are word count, deadline, and any special rules such as “work must be on the theme of choices.”

4. Start a blog.

Writers have to be marketable, if you already have a blog and a fanbase, publishers and agents will be more likely to consider you. Writing a blog can provide an opportunity to make a name for yourself, showcase your work, or just a place to vent some mindless rambling. A regular blog can help you get into the rhythm of writing, again as a source of motivation to push you to produce. A blog will also allow you to try out a new style of writing, there’s a big difference between story writing and blogging. It’s similar to journalism in that the writer needs an effective voice to keep the reader engaged. It could be a passionate rhetoric, or a witty conversational tone, the important thing is that it draws in readers and helps you get noticed. Blogs can also provide a chance for experimentation; you could introduce a serial novel by chapters and try for success like Belle de Jour’s Diary of a London Call Girl.

5. Get a copy of The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook.

An essential tome for the aspiring writer is The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook, which comes annually with an updated list of publishers, agents, magazines, competitions – pretty much everything you could need. If you’re looking for an outlet for your work, the yearbook contains a massive host of places you can submit to. Each publisher, agent, or magazine listed has a brief bio which tells you what sort of writing they’re after and a bit about the person or institution, allowing you to target your work more effectively. There’s also a version specific to the American market called Writer’s Market.

6. Research the industry with writer’s guides and magazines.

Reference guides and writing magazines can be a great aid to a writer, filled with useful and informative articles about the industry. Pick up a subscription of Writers’ Forum for advice on writing, details of upcoming competitions (that you can add to your competition calendar) and the dates of events and conventions. Reading up on articles about publication procedures and industry practices can help you be more prepared should you try to break into the business, and the knowledge you gain can help you come across as more professional.

7. Read blogs/websites by famous authors.

New writers are often told to study the work of professionals and try to analyse the writing in order to enhance their own work. This is good advice, and the way many of us learn, but thanks to the author blog, we can now go direct to the writer for information about their writing, rather than being limited to studying the book ourselves. Many writers now blog about themselves and their work, you can learn at the foot of the greats without having to drive a hundred miles to a convention or book signing. Now obviously this depends on how much time the writer in question spends on their blog. A good example is fantasy author Joe Abercrombie who clearly puts a lot of effort into his blog, with reviews, articles and recently some thoughts about the direction of the fantasy genre. While Brent Weeks’ site even has a section devoted to writing advice that’s well worth a look.

8. Join/start a writing group.

I’ve found that one of the most effective ways to improve as a writer is through feedback in a workshop environment. Believe it or not, having a group of people tear your work to pieces on a regular basis can be incredibly helpful. The value of a fresh pair of eyes and a different viewpoint cannot be overstated. No matter how good you think your work is, someone else may see something you missed that makes you cringe inside when it’s pointed out. But it’s not all criticism and cruelty, writing groups can be fun, they can provide an opportunity to get to know some fellow writers, to learn about the craft, or just a group of people to talk with who won’t mock your passion and pressure you to get a real job.

9. Join YouWriteOn.com.

YouWriteOn works like on online writing group. You get assigned a random piece of writing to review, and earn a writing credit after you critique it. Then you attach the credit to a piece of your work you want reviewed and someone else gets your work assigned to them to critique. Like the writing group, it can be a great way to learn and receive feedback on your writing. Given the randomised nature, it’s the luck of the draw whether you get someone who can provide useful feedback. Still, the site does offer professional critiques from publishing houses for the top ten in the site charts, and it can be useful if you can’t find any local writers to form a traditional writing group with.

10. Go forth and write.

Last but not least, you have to put the words down on the page. All the stuff you learn is only of any use if you actually put it into practice. This may seem like an obvious point, and you may think I’m just putting it here because I couldn’t think of anything else for number ten, but that’s not (completely) true. It’s remarkable easy to get bogged down in other things that stop you writing: your job, family, even reading this article could be a form of procrastination. Writing is fun, remember? So finish this article and get to work. On three, ready? One, two, three!

Have some advice for the budding writers on our site? Tell us in the comments!

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