A lot of resources online help writers improve their writing, but what if you’re a beginner? This post is all about writing for beginners. I’ll give tips I wish someone had told me when I first started writing as well as a FREE 7-day writing plan for those who have just started writing!
Beginner Writing Tip #1: Just Write
Don’t waste time trying to find story ideas, or trying to make the perfect characters. Just start writing! That’s the only way you’ll learn to write and improve. If you really want to learn to write, then write every day. Whether it’s a small paragraph about a dream you’ve had, a journal entry of your day or a short story.
Beginner Writing Tip #2: This Isn’t School
Don’t write like you’re writing an essay, writing fiction (personal or published) is formatted differently, which you’ll learn following the next tip.
Beginner Writing Tip #3: Read, Read and Read Again
Reading and writing are very closely related. You’ll learn so much about writing fiction as a beginner from reading fiction. If you’re struggling to write as a beginner writer, then read instead. Reading is where most writers started and it’s probably where you started too!
Pro Tip 💡 – Try re-reading stories you like. If you’re re-reading, you’ll pay more attention to structures, formats,, and more within the story. Doing this with stories you like is especially helpful because you can identify why you like it and try to include that in your writing.
Beginner Writing Tip #4: Start Small
I really wish someone told me this before! Don’t overwhelm yourself with big writing projects or trying to write a novel when you’re starting. Start with short stories and work your way up, otherwise, you might just give up because you’ll never finish anything.
Beginner Writing Tip #5: Reflect, Re-Write, Get Feedback
Look at old pieces of writing as you continue to write and see how you can improve. You can also share your writing with others to get some feedback. I once got some amazing feedback which I used and it improved my story, not to mention made me fall more in love with the story than I originally was. Don’t forget to actually use the feedback and your own reflections to re-write some stories.
Pro Tip 💡 – If you rewrite a story, keep the first draft(s) and compare them. Doing this can show you how much you’ve improved, which can motivate you when you’re in a rut.
Beginner Writing Tip #6: Don’t Limit Yourself
Experiment all the time! Try writing in different places or at different times. Try writing different genres or povs. Find what works for you is an important part of writing for beginners!
Beginner Writing Tip #7: Understand the Basics
You don’t have to know all the tips out there, but at least start to study the few fundamentals of writing fiction after you’ve written for some time.
7-Day Writing Plan
Time for the beginner 7-day writing plan!! Below are two versions, for those who prefer typing and those who prefer handwriting. I recommend the printable version for complete beginners!
If you find a day in the writing plan to be too much, you can always modify the plan to fit your schedule.
Have any more tips for beginner writers? Leave them in the comments below! Then let me know how the writing plan went!!
