Yes, it’s that time again. The Beach Vacation episode of marketing, when I place all (or almost all) of my books up for grabs on Smashwords.
Why would I give away almost all of my books for free? Because, frankly, I’m not that concerned about making a ton of money from my books right now, and I’d rather drive interest in my series than hoard all the money.
The money hoarding can come later, after I have paperbacks. For now, I’m content to get as many people as possible interested in the terrible shenanigans of my terrible characters, who do terrible things.
Anyway, the first four books in the Eirenic Verses, and the novella, are available for FREE from July 1 to July 31. Yes, that’s right. Free for a whole entire month. Most of the series.
Actually, all of the series except Absent All Light, which just came out like a week ago so we’re not giving that away. You can still download it, though.
Okay! So let’s get those links going.
Free until July 31, 2026!
Uileac Korviridi, student at the War Academy, expects to focus on his studies and protect his little sister – not fall in love with Orrinir Relickim, the hotheaded infantryman who can’t seem to leave him alone.
Orrinir Relickim’s horse was a wedding present from his husband, but it almost ends his marriage, too. A kick to the ribs turns into a journey through magical medicine to better understand the man Orrinir swore to love.
A fantasy fairy tale featuring poetry magic, a shapeshifting phoenix, and a love story that created a mountain range. This supplemental novella for the Eirenic Verses provides additional worldbuilding in a unique twist on classics like Brothers Grimm and Andrew Lang.
When Orrinir Relickim receives word that his estranged father is dying, Uileac Korviridi assumes his husband will eagerly reconcile. What happens instead challenges how Uileac sees his brave, stern lover – and reveals secrets he never wanted to know.
Mordrek Willets is the first spy to sneak across the forboding Rimuk Mountains and learn more about the High Poets, a secretive cabal of women tasked with protecting the beleagured country from his own. This mission takes more out of him than he ever could have expected. His pride. His loyalty. His heart.
Cerie Korviridi, newly fledged High Poet, is still reeling from the savage ceremony to bestow her powers. But her brother Uileac arrives with worse news: his husband, infantryman Orrinir Relickim, has been taken hostage by a hostile military – and the army is refusing to help. The siblings must rescue him against direct orders before his light dies out.
Not enough free content? Stay tuned for July 4th, where you get a whole new novella – for free! This one is permanently free, and also hilarious.
What is it with me and giving away things? Must be some sort of fanfic disease. Anyway, I can’t wait for you to see what I have up my sleeve. You’re going to go insane, maybe light off some fireworks and grab a Corona Lite.
That would be perfectly canonical, at least with what we’ve got planned.
I do not have the biggest following ever yet, but I do have some devoted fans a little over a year and a half after releasing my first book. One of the best things anyone ever told me is that I am their favorite author; this reader came from my Touken Ranbu fanfic days but has now jumped over to my original fiction, which is great.
This is an attainable goal for any good writer. I’m not uniquely charismatic; in fact, I’ve been a friendless loser for a significant portion of my life. The reason I’ve attracted and retained these fans comes down to mindset moreso than talent or magnetism.
Here, I’ll break down some factors I’ve noted make you more likely to achieve a loyal readership. This isn’t comprehensive, as I’m not omniscient, but I do hope it will get you noticed.
No one likes to be talked down to unless they have a humiliation fetish. This makes your books feel condescending; plus, it makes others view you as less approachable, which is exactly what you don’t want as an author.
You do not need to spell out everything in nauseating detail, nor do you need to walk your readers through the entire backstory of the world. It’s okay to leave things a bit vague.
Additionally, try to avoid using too many big words. This isn’t about dumbing things down, but building common ground with your readers. Having to look up a word every single page is frustrating, and it’s going to turn people off. When you do use unique words, couch them in plenty of context clues. People will get what you mean.
I know I always harp on the fact that you need a website, but it truly is key. This becomes a public repository of your material, improves SEO, and ensures readers always know how to find you.
And stay consistent with your website, or it won’t rank well. Create a content schedule and stick with it. I recommend that you build up your content before launching and advertising your website so that readers aren’t confronted with a blank page, and they can expect regular posts. You can queue things months or years in advance on WordPress, so have at least a few months of content ready first.
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Infuse your social media posts with your voice.
When I was advertising 9 Years Yearning, I got slammed by a few people for using the typical trope formatting. This has been totally overdone, and readers hate it by now.
What has worked for me, though, is being deranged.
This picture, released before What Is Cannot Be Unwritten, got good engagement. Why? Because it’s weird. Why is it this cutesy bright pink when the cover is clearly dark and forboding? Why is the book going to ruin my life? The template is clearly a professional one from Canva but really doesn’t match the tone of the book. That’s interesting to readers. They want to know more.
Another one that people liked celebrated my high ratings for 9 Years Yearning. It has very strong Tumblr vibes and is quite silly; it doesn’t read like a marketing tool, but something personal and fond. If I’m so invested in these characters, others will want to get invested to and join the ranks of the fans.
Authenticity, not sterile corporate advertising, is a selfpub author’s secret weapon. It reminds readers that a real person wrote this: someone who really loves what they’re doing and wants to share it.
So get weird about your work. My advertising is a bit rough around the edges, obviously designed by me, and that’s great.
While readers don’t want to think about you when they’re reading, they do like knowing the person behind the story when they’re done with the book. When they like you as a person, they’ll be more willing to engage with your work and come back for more.
While not all readers are particularly curious about what goes into making a book, fellow writers are. Always remember that people care more about what you can provide them, not what they can provide you.
Plus, hearing more about what’s involved in writing a book helps demystify the process and reminds readers that what they’re enjoying didn’t drop whole-cloth from the heavens; it was created over many hours, all designed with love for them.
You will gain more respect if you are honest about what you’re doing rather than implying your books are divorced from hard work.
When a book wraps up every thread, readers can’t get invested. They put the book down and forget because there’s nothing to process once the story ends.
The most interesting books have hints of lore, of a world beyond the borders of the story. This is the reason why The Lord of the Rings is such an enduring piece of literature; Tolkien lets us know there’s a lot more to explore in Middle Earth that he simply didn’t have time to offer us.
We see flashes of unique cultures, hear whispered tales of ancient times, and wonder about how everything came to be. Whole conventions are dedicated to analyzing every word and pondering what was left out of the books.
Don’t hesitate to leave some things unspoken. This doesn’t make you a lazy writer but a smart one, who is engaging readers in conversation and inviting them to think harder about what you did provide.
In the Eirenic Verses, I tell readers about mysterious lands far beyond Sina and Breme. What Is Cannot Be Unwritten mentions other cultures, like the drug-addled followers of Haiv and the detestable Down Dalry with its carnivorous sheep. Readers are left to wonder what’s going on in these places and why they’re important.
In fact, several people have asked me what the hell is up with the Cow Republic. Is it called that because it’s overrun with hyperintelligent cow people? Do they have a cud-chomping moo god? Is it a beef-based economy? Do they ride bovines into battle? All of the above?!
I know what I think the answer is, but I’m not sharing. That’s left up to you.
Not only does this give readers something to chew on, but it also allows me to write other books set in Eirenen. I several ideas for stories that explore far-off lands like Caelum, the Lake Empire, and Truth or Consequences, so I have plenty of material to play with after the Eirenic Verses is complete.
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Offer casual snapshots of your personal life on social media.
My Instagram for the Eirenic Verses is also my personal one, and I don’t intend to change this. While some may think this is unusual, I find it perfectly normal.
Firstly, I’m just too lazy to run a professional Instagram and a personal one. My writing blog is plenty hard work as it is; I would constantly forget to switch accounts, meaning that my Instagram would get low engagement because there’s not enough going on.
The second reason goes back to what I said before. Readers don’t care about you when they’re reading because they’re immersed in your world. But after the book is done, they may want to follow you so they can be alerted to new books. This is the perfect time to build rapport by demonstrating you’re a normal person.
Not every reader will bother, of course. I personally don’t follow a lot of my favorite authors, and that’s fine; I just want to know when I can purchase their new material. If I like them, I’ll follow them on Amazon and be done with it.
But not every reader is me, and I respect that. Some do want to engage with authors outside of the books and get to know them. Not to the extent of an unhealthy parasocial relationship, but just to consider what inspires them and keep abreast of their offerings.
Sharing light and upbeat personal updates maintains this connection with readers. They get to see you as a three-dimensional person whose life extends beyond the pages: someone they might like to have as a friend.
However, it’s key that you keep these things light. I share pictures of rock climbing and horseback riding; I post dumb memes in my stories. It’s clear that I’m a pretty friendly and outgoing person outside of my books, which makes me seem more approachable. As such, readers will want to support me because I don’t seem like some unreachable demigod.
Like anyone else, readers have Pavlovian reactions that do best with consistent intervals. I’m not saying that readers salivate when they think of your books, but if you publish around the same time every year, they’ll begin to expect it, even if subconsciously.
I publish two books a year, always on the same two dates: June 23 and November 7th. These are personally significant dates to me, and they will not change for the rest of my writing career. I begin my marketing and review campaigns around the same time each year, even if the dates don’t perfectly align.
Even though I haven’t been following this exact schedule for very long, I have noticed that it helps a lot. When I published Saint Luridalr and the Peony Phoenix out of nowhere in April last year, no one knew to look for it because they weren’t primed to. As such, it’s gotten fewer sales, even though it’s cheaper.
The first few weeks after publishing are the most essential times for the algorithm. If your book doesn’t get engagement right away, it’s likely to languish unless you put some serious firepower (and money) into your advertising.
Because selfpub authors are closer to readers, we also have more chances to engage with them. Each time we do so, we should be showing appreciation that they chose our books over someone else’s.
Readers owe you nothing. They don’t owe you a purchase or review. They’re not here to help you recoup your financial losses, and they have no obligation to provide feedback or keep reading.
You, on the other hand, owe them everything. If they’re spending their hard-earned money on you work, you need to give them an excellent product that matches their expectations.
Providing a good experience includes lower prices to improve sales. This does suck, and I get it. You feel like you’re devaluing yourself. But remember that as a selfpub author, readers are not guaranteed quality. Pricing low reduces barriers to purchase and demonstrates that you respect their budget.
Additionally, a simple thank-you means a lot to readers. If you market yourself in person, give readers something for free, even if it’s just a pretty bookmark.
I show my gratitude by writing a bunch of free articles for everyone to enjoy. I’m offering people something they can benefit from, which makes them more willing to give me something in return: their sales.
Approaching your marketing and engagement with the assumption that readers will give you nothing back ensures you’re not getting entitled, which really turns people off.
Success begets more success. When you show you’ve achieved something, people assume you must be good at what you’re doing; otherwise, why are others paying attention?
If you break milestones, like selling 250 books, make sure to tell people. Contextualize it for them; most casual readers don’t realize how few units that selfpub authors sell, so they need to understand why this is a big achievement.
Now, I want to be clear that you should never lie about your success. While your sales numbers aren’t public, people will get suspicious if you’re not high in rankings but bragging about selling millions of books.
Be honest about how you’re doing, even if it’s not as good as what someone might expect. This infuses your posts with humility and assures them that you’re honest. No one likes a liar.
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Growing a following is damn hard work, and it doesn’t spring up overnight. You need to stay consistent, visible, and authentic if you want people to notice.
Don’t get discouraged if it’s been months or even years with little engagement. This is normal. Publishing is one of the most saturated fields on the planet, so you will have to fight for attention. But you can do it, as long as you’re persistent. You’ll find the work is well worth the reward.
Sadly, children have been the hardest hit. Anecdotal reports from teachers worldwide show that children are performing abysmally at all levels, barely able to comprehend what they are reading even with significant help.
As writers, we want people to understand and enjoy our work. As businesspeople, we need a strong consumer base who wants to buy our products. So what do we need to know about these horrifying statistics – and what can we do about it?
One would be excused for blaming everything on the American education system. This certainly plays a part: schools are underfunded, overcrowded, and forced to teach curricula that emphasize standardized tests. There’s little room for simple curiosity or reading for pleasure.
And the emphasis on test scores does even more damage to kids. Because school funding is tied to pass rates and college acceptance percentages, schools shunt failing students onto the next grade so they don’t lose money. Kids get further and further behind because it’s hard to help them catch up when 30 other kids also need attention.
But there are many other factors, ranging from parent disinterest to pandemic aftereffects.
Now, I know you’ll hate to hear this this next part.
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Yes, parents are partially to blame for their kids being hopelessly behind.
Don’t think I’m smugly slamming all parents. There are many wonderful people out there who are raising amazing kids. They are doing exemplary work, creating curious young minds who will pave the way for the next generation.
However, those gold star moms and dads are a small minority compared to the disinterested, apathetic, and frankly neglectful parents who sit their kids down with an iPad and walk away.
Some school systems have resorted to begging parents to spend any time with their children. One can assume that if five minutes of bonding time is considered a big ask, the parents aren’t reading to their kids before bedtime.
Additionally, many parents assume that it is the school’s responsibility to teach kids everything they need to know. Children are arriving to their first day of school in diapers – not because they have a medical condition, but because their parents literally did not toilet train them.
Yes, parents are tired from working multiple jobs with little social support. I do agree that we need to help parents; I’ve done my part in the past by working as a tutor. But still, it is primarily the parents’ responsibility to raise the children they chose to have by any means necessary, and they are not doing so.
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Unlimited screen time is rewiring our brains – and it’s even worse for little kids.
Social media thrives on short-form texts that require little thought, which damages our cognitive capacity to sit down and read for extended periods of time. Attention spans are getting shorter; there are too many distractions to sink down into a good book.
With children’s neuroplasticity, even a few hours of screen time is causing permanent alterations to their brain structure, making it difficult for them to focus. A new trend of “screenmaxing,” or using two screens to watch or play two things at once, is absolutely melting their minds.
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Lastly, we can’t discount the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, both on children and adults.
Not only were entire school years disrupted by the switch to remote learning, which caused plunging test scores, but Covid itself causes brain damage that can rob us of higher-order thought processes.
I found it incredibly hard to focus on books after getting Covid, and I still have to force myself to read regularly, knowing that it’s so important for my own authorial growth. This is probably due to a combination of too much social media, Covid brain damage, and simple burnout from working full-time while also writing my books.
Similar combinations are likely the case for nearly everyone, including kids. And it’s very worrisome.
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Mental exhaustion, paired with poor reading education, reduces the demand for complex literature.
A report commissioned by HarperCollins found that over 25% of YA readers are above the age of 28. Reasons given for this included that many millennials feel like they are still emerging adults due to delayed adult milestones, like purchasing a home, getting married, and raising a family.
When none of the stereotypical indicators of maturity are within reach, then of course you will feel like you’re not really an adult. I get that, trust me. I just turned 33 on June 23 (and released my third book!), but I often feel like I’m just LARPing as a real adult.
And there’s the fact that life is just extremely stressful right now. If you’re reading for fun, why would you want to push yourself with even more cognitive exhaustion? Some would argue that you should for your own edification, but let’s be real – life is hard and it sucks. No one wants to do more than they have to when they’re working 50+ hours a week.
However, I also suspect that low literacy is part of the reason for the total explosion in Young Adult literature, even amongst people in their 30s and 40s. It is genuinely hard for many full-grown adults to comprehend or enjoy more complicated plots, so they default to what’s more comfortable for them. Sadly, not everyone had access to a high-quality education as a child, and they may not be able to play catch-up later in life.
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Let me make it perfectly clear: I’m not shaming adults for reading YA.
After all, reading anything is good, even if it’s below your full potential. As someone who struggled through International Relations courses, I understand that it really sucks to feel like you have no idea what you’re reading.
You’re not a bad person if you only read YA as an adult because your reading habits say nothing about your value as a human. I would tell you that you should branch out and read something more age-appropriate because personal growth is a good thing.
But ultimately, it’s your life, and you should spend your leisure time how you want to. I can’t make you do anything.
I will make one ask, though. Please stop demanding spice in YA. Stop looking to children’s books for steamy romances. Stop complaining in reviews when characters don’t go all the way. This stuff is for teenagers, who are children. You’re not the actual target audience. That’s weird.
But anyway, let’s return to the writing side of the equation.
Does this mean that everyone should give up on writing adult fiction and pivot to YA if they want anyone to read? Of course not. And it doesn’t mean that there’s no hope of anyone ever reading any stories, ever again.
There have been some gloomy arguments that literature itself will go extinct. I’m very leery of this idea. After all, literature has thrived in eras where even fewer people could read.
The Tale of Genji is considered the world’s first novel and was written in 11th century Japan. (By a woman, no less!) During the Heian era, literacy was strictly confined to the aristocracy and Buddhist monks. Estimates are as low as 10% amongst the entire population, which may itself be an exaggeration.
Shakespeare wrote during the Elizabethan Era, a time when only around 30% of men and 10% of women could read and write. He’s a perfect demonstration of exactly how people could still enjoy literature, given that his works are mostly plays. His other works, like his sonnets, were provided to wealthy patrons for payment, funding his playwriting endeavors.
This brings me to my next point, something we are already seeing.
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Movie adaptations demonstrate the value of literature in an era of lower literacy rates.
While I’m spitballing here, I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that more movie adaptations than ever are being made of novels (though there are other capitalistic pressures at play too). Just like with Shakespeare’s plays, visual adaptations engage audiences who may not be capable of reading the original – or may simply not have the time.
Audiobooks, too, are a perfect example of this. And no, audiobooks aren’t cheating; they are a continuation of a millennia-old practice. Humans have been orally transmitting stories for thousands of years, including all of Buddha’s teachings, Jesus’s life story, and Homer’s Odyssey.
Not to say that you’re illiterate if you use audiobooks, of course. They are a convenient way to get more reading done when you’re busy with something else, and I’d never shame anyone for using accessibility tools. In fact, you can use tools like Sensory Readable to turn anything into an audiobook if you want!
The fact that people still want to engage with literature, even if it is in a different format, demonstrates the deep human need for entertainment, interpretation, and exploration. That will never go away, though writers may struggle to get their work out there if they are self-published.
Here is where the rubber meets the road. The answer to this pivotal question depends on your approach to writing.
If you are writing with commercial intent, hoping that you will be able to quit your day job and live off royalties, you are probably screwed. We’re already seeing how more books are being published than ever while less books are getting read than ever before.
Rising illiteracy, cost-cutting publishing houses, and saturated markets make it almost impossible to make a good living off your work. Publishing has always been a cutthroat industry, and now it’s started to slash its own neck.
And there’s the frankly apocalyptic Amazon boycotts that are destroying selfpub sales. I have big feelings about that specifically, but it’s beyond this post’s scope.
Yes, there are exceptions, mostly of people who ruthlessly write to market and spend all their time setting up ads. However, unless you run your author business like the most aggressive startup ever, you will likely struggle.
But, if you are writing for personal satisfaction and maybe a bit of fun money, then you’re going to be okay.
Why wouldn’t you be? You’ve secured your future by maintaining a primary income stream; you’re writing to share stories you love, and low sales won’t destroy you. Breaking even is the primary goal, something that can be easily attained if you are careful with your expenditures.
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Illiteracy is terrible on a societal level, but it should not squash your literary dreams.
Trends in reading comprehension can inform your writing if you are eager to capture a high market share.
You’ll want to look carefully at your estimated reading level, reduce difficult sentences, and analyze the market to identify what will resonate best with your ideal audience. This may mean de-emphasizing certain themes, writing shorter books, or prioritizing a well-made audiobook so people can enjoy your work without reading.
But trends don’t necessarily matter if you’re writing for self-satisfaction and are happy with a smaller readership. Those who aren’t interested in making this day job do not need to stay up at night worrying about reading curricula.
You, the author, are not responsible for solving illiteracy, nor are you required to “dumb down” your work if you don’t want to. If becoming the next George RR Martin is not your ultimate goal, then simply keep writing how you want to. You only need be aware that you may be disappointed at the readership you attract and temper your expectations.
I, personally, will keep writing for the audience that wants me – and for myself. If this means I don’t sell more than 250 copies per book, I’m okay with that. Maybe one day in the future, when we have rectified the grievous errors breeding such rampant illiteracy, my work will be enjoyed by the next generations who had access to high-quality education.
After all, a good book is eternal. Many of the best works of modern literature were ignored during their author’s lifetime, only to become beloved decades later.
Whether that will be true for me or not is anyone’s guess, but I’ll strive to create something I’ll be proud of even after death.
…. that don’t really have anything to do with writing itself.
On this blog, we’ve gone over numerous ways to improve your writing from a technical perspective: characterization, character agency, worldbuilding, and so on. You can, of course, find millions of other advice pages about any aspect of writing you can think of, so much so that it’s almost impossible to take them all into consideration.
But what about the time that you’re not spending at your computer? What about when you’re in between projects or dealing with writer’s block? Thankfully, there’s plenty you can do now, too. Writing is a lifestyle as much as it is an activity and skill. Today, we’ll discuss how you can improve without even putting pen to paper (or finger to key).
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1. Read books that are completely unlike your style.
Reading widely does not just mean inhaling endless carbon copies of your book to make you feel better. After all, if you liked this, and other people liked this, that means they’ll like your book too, right?
That’s ego disguised as research. Rather, reading widely means reading books from all eras, all parts of the world, and all styles.
I actually do not read a lot of “my” type of fantasy because I believe this leads to stagnation. If something is too similar to The Eirenic Verses, I don’t even touch it. That work will influence me, and then I start ripping them off instead of doing my own work.
Because of this, most of my fantasy faves are completely different than me. For example, my fantasy antithesis, Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, is one of my favorite authors because every single thing she does is the exact opposite of what I would do. The English translations of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation break almost all my preconceptions of good writing, but they are still good – addictive, even. I finished the entire five-part series in 3 days.
Does this mean that my writing advice is all wrong, or that I’m a bad author? No, of course not. It means that she has exceptional skill, throwing off all the training wheels and making something truly unique that people want to read. I’ve never come across series where the source material itself reads like fanfic, which is what makes it so fun.
Straying away from your niche challenges you to incorporate new things into your work that you may not have considered before reading it. In fact, after The Eirenic Verses is complete, I plan to adapt the character dynamics between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian into a lesbian love story based on a Russian fairytale, but set in a Papua New Guinea-esque cloud forest. It’s just as insane as it sounds. I can’t wait to get to work on it when my ten-part series is done.
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2. Go outside of familiar genre territory.
During my formative writing years, I barely read any fantasy. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, but I was doing a literature degree and fantasy wasn’t really part of the curriculum. It’s hard to find time to read for fun when you have to write three different essays on three different books.
When I did read outside of class, I still wasn’t focused on fantasy. Instead, I gravitated to authors like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Willa Cather, Emile Zola, Edgar Allen Poe, and Herman Melville. I was a voracious broke college student who glutted herself on public domain books.
I genuinely think this was a blessing for my writing. Instead of following the herd with the exact same formats as other fantasy writers, I developed a posh, formal voice that some have described as Tolkienesque. I also became more interested in the implications and overall symbology of a fantasy world than spells and dragons. My work reads more like literature than genre fiction, which draws in readers who don’t usually enjoy fantasy.
If you find that your writing feels a bit stale, that means you need to put down whatever genre you write and read something else. If you’re a crime writer, tell yourself that you’re not going to read any crime fiction for the next few months. Grab some classics that you have heard are good but have never read. Read a few romances.
Be sure to pick from things outside of your own sphere of influence, too. Read translations of Finnish novels, or Korean novels, or Iranian novels, or Egyptian novels. This helps you see connections between all types of literature and can teach you new literary devices you may have never seen before.
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3. Stop watching so many movies.
I deeply caution writers from watching too many movies or TV shows. In fact, I think it’s the number one way to ruin your writing.
There’s something that happens when you watch real life people do things while telling a story that influences your writing style. Perhaps it’s because watching too much live-action stuff makes you envision your own book as a movie, and then you get into the bad habit of narrating it like a movie.
The joy of writing is not in just the plot or descriptions but the prose itself: the wordplay, the flow of the language, the subtle ways that a synonym will change the whole meaning of a sentence. You don’t have that in movies because they are a visual format.
It doesn’t matter if the screenplay writer says that something smells “rank” versus “unpleasant” because we don’t actually experience it for ourselves. “Rank” suggests that the smell is utterly revolting, overwhelming, nauseating, while unpleasant means it’s a bit nasty but tolerable. These minor changes can make a huge difference in how your reader experiences the story, but all that is lost in the visual format.
Good writing engages all the senses, while movies only engage sight and sound. As such, mirroring screenplays in your writing limits how well your reader is immersed in the story.
When you do movie writing instead of book writing, your actions get very mechanical because you’re thinking of it play-by-play. You’re more likely to fall into White Room Syndrome because you establish the setting and then forget about it, just like a screenplay is written with the scene description at the beginning of the scene and left alone the rest of the time.
Most importantly, your conversations will sound fake as hell. Movies and TV shows are scripted, so the dialogue is stilted; the characters are just announcing things for the benefit of the audience, and there’s not that give-and-take as is natural in normal conversations. Think how weird it would be if someone in a novel broke into a Shakespeare monologue out of nowhere.
That’s not to say you can’t indulge in any multimedia format. When I’m between writing projects, I enjoy watching anime, which isn’t quite as harmful because it’s clearly not reality. However, remind yourself that this is for your own entertainment, not for your edification. Do not use it as a way to tell you how to write.
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4. Get out and meet people.
Writers are often stereotyped as introverts who stay inside all day and write. This is a pretty decent estimation, but it’s actually to our detriment.
Your brain needs new inputs to create new ideas. Everything you do in life, from washing dishes to fighting with people online, will impact your writing in some way. As such, you need to leave your cozy desk and have novel interactions with real people so that you can learn more about how normal humans think, act, and talk.
Meeting people is especially important for good characterization. It’s not that you’re going to base a character whole-cloth on someone you know; that’d be creepy. Rather, you can blend many people into a brand new person, who will then feel much more real because they have slight contradictions and unique mannerisms.
One of the best ways you can make friends – and boost your writing – is by improving your active listening skills. I make IRL friends pretty easily, and it’s no secret why: I am polite and I listen more than I talk. I ask thoughtful followup questions, I remember what people tell me, and I show genuine interest by reassuring the speaker that I’m still listening.
Not only does it feel good to have people like me, but it also allows me to learn about new subjects I wouldn’t have considered. Whether that’s tidbits about Antarctic field research, ice climbing, or federal data security, I have gleaned so many insights into different fields through my friends. While I may never use any of this in my writing, it often sparks curiosity about related fields that may make their way into my work.
In turn, I can better model real conversations through practice, like when people pause, how syntax differs in certain circumstances, or the nonverbal gestures people make while speaking.
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5. Exercise regularly.
Don’t take this as me badgering you to get into shape. It really has nothing to do with how you look, or your weight, or anything like that. However, moving your body in whatever way feels best to you can significantly benefit your writing.
Regular exercise, especially cardio, causes neurogenesis, meaning that your neurons make new connections. This helps you create those fantastic logical leaps that make writing so fun. In fact, many writers find that they come up with their best plot twists when they’re running on the treadmill in a meditative state.
Exercise also regulates hormones so that you feel calmer, improving focus and mental clarity. I get cranky if I don’t work out for an hour three times a week at bare minimum, and this bleeds through into my writing.
Lastly, working out on a regular basis improves cardiovascular function so you get more blood flow to your brain. Low-level oxygen deprivation means your brain isn’t getting what it needs and can’t perform at its peak level.
A small bit of movement is invaluable no matter your fitness level or ability. You don’t need to run a marathon; just a quick walk around the neighborhood or simple stretches will do.
If you have a disability, talk to a healthcare professional or do your research to see what might help you without exacerbating your condition. Always rely on actual professionals for medical advice, not some stranger with a writing blog.
Anything that helps your brain is going to help your writing too. That includes a balanced diet, the right amount of exercise, adequate social stimulation, reducing stress, and maintaining good routines.
Our writing is the sum of everything we are. When we strive to be our best selves, our writing will be in peak condition, too. By expanding your horizons, meeting new people, and staying in great health, you’ll reap exceptional benefits for your writing practice.
