Make Your Writing More Powerful

Weak writing? What’s that?

Hi… I’m experiencing a problem whenever it comes to writing; I have amazing plot ideas, yet when it comes to writing, my words feel… Very lukewarm, which is the only way I can describe it. Tips to make my writing more powerful, more meaningful… So that even the most mundane actions carried out by my characters do not feel boring? Thank you… 😦

Great question. Not sure if I have great answers. As always I can only offer my suggestions.

Believe in your writing.

I think many writers doubt themselves and regard their work unfairly. Perhaps you’re being hard on yourself. Learn to believe in your work. You’re okay. You’re doing well. You’re better than you think.

Write scenes, not summaries.

Summary after summary can get quite boring. Consider whether you are just summarizing scenes rather than rendering them vividly. If you’re telling more than showing, that’s a sign you’re summarizing rather than scene writing.

Use strong verbs (over weak adverbs).

Don’t rely on adverbs to convey meaning. That’s lazy. That’s what I do. Don’t be like me.

Write what excites you.

If something bores you to write, you can bet it’ll bore someone to read. So write what interests you, what fascinates you. Maybe you love mysteries. Then write an exciting mystery novel where every scene takes the reader one step closer to figuring out the murderer.

Live a meaningful life.

Self explanatory, no?

Remove the boring.

What you leave in is just as important as what you take out. Feel free to skip a day or delete a paragraph if nothing happens in it.

Create interesting characters. 

Good characters have a way of making the mundane not as mundane.

Make the scene matter.

Every scene should accomplish something or a few things by the end of it. Go in with a goal and don’t get out until you achieve the goal. Even if the path to the end is different than you intended, make sure all scenes are in your story for a reason.

That’s all I have. Hope it helps.

Feel free to ask me anything.

Happy powerful, meaningful writing.

How To Avoid Writing

I don’t think you need me to tell you how to avoid writing.

But I’m going to tell you anyway.

Live a boring life. That way you have no interesting experiences.

Live a busy life. You probably do already. Busier then.

Have kids. Have more kids. You can never have too many.

Fall in love with other things. Juggling. Yodeling. Skydiving.

Fall in love with other people. Especially those who waste your time.

Maybe I’ll stop avoiding and start working now. That’s the hope anyway.

What A Writer Is Not

A writer is many things, but they are not…

• Wrong
• Lazy
• Boring
• Narrow-minded
• Ignorant
• Oblivious
• Clueless

Writers are right. If you think differently, guess what…

You’re wrong.

A List Of Weak Words That Weaken Your Writing

I am not saying you cannot use these words. I am mentioning them because most of the words below are used either too frequently or become so redundant in your writing, it would be wise to limit your use of these words. Which is why repeating some of these words over and over and over again can make your writing either really boring at best or weaken your writing at worst. As a writer you don’t ever want to risk sounding boring, incompetent, or unqualified.

Hey, a quick search of your manuscript, novel, or essay might surprise you. You never know.

So find some of the words below, weed them out, and watch as your writing grows stronger.

• Really
• Very
• Some
• Rather
• Quite
• Most
• In
• On
• To
• At
• Suddenly
• That
• Down
• Up
• Back
• Now/Then
• Was/Is/Are/Am/Were
• Came
• Went
• Got
• Looked
• Had
• Just
• A lot
• -ing
• -ly

Especially useful for those of you who participated in Camp NaNoWriMo a.k.a. National Novel Writing Month. Your novel can certainly do without most of the words mentioned above.