…. 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.
