Write a novel

The life-changing writing tip (you‘ll find time every day)

You are a writer (or want to be). You want to improve. With every single piece of writing. You don't want to write at your current level forever.

But let me tell you a secret: practice makes perfect.

In this article, I'm going to show you a way to pass the time and practise writing at the same time.

But first, a little digression about learning languages.

LEARNING LANGUAGES

In my early youth I enjoyed learning languages. It was easy for me because I grew up bilingual and I always loved it.

Before I started learning English, my mother spoke to me in English all day. At first I was annoyed.

But then I realised how much it helped.

I realised which vocabulary I was missing and which I knew well. I got to know my limits and weaknesses, but I also saw the effect. I realised that I could communicate. That I had achieved something. That it made sense to learn.

But the best thing was that I was improving quickly.

One day I went for a long drive in the car with my family. My parents were talking about things that didn't interest me. I was bored.

Then I had an idea: I CHANGED THE LANGUAGE OF MY THOUGHTS.

I thought about my school, my favourite books and so on. But I thought in English.

I still like to use this technique, even though I no longer need to.

AND WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH WRITING?

Good question, my friend.

The answer is simple: you write IN YOUR HEAD.

You put together words that describe a landscape, carry on a dialogue or even tell a whole (short) story. Anything goes.

For example, you are standing at the bus stop and you are bored. Then you think: "Tim was tapping his toes up and down. When did Lisa finally come? He had been standing in the doorway for over an hour, looking up and down the street. Should he go in? But Lisa wouldn't be too happy about such a greeting..."

Things like that can be turned into new ideas or inserted into a scene as "snippets" (if you remember them).

Simple, isn't it?

OTHER ARTICLES ON WRITING TIPS:
- "The 6 best tips ABOUT writing" 
- "How to become happy and productive in 12 minutes" 
- "Tips for motivation to write a novel" 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

If you practise a lot, you get better. The same applies here, of course. You'll soon notice that the quality of your "written stuff" improves too!

BUT BEST OF ALL...

... that you will always find time for this writing tip!

You can do it on the bus, train or in the car (when you're not driving!), in the queue at the supermarket, at lunchtime, at the bus stop, while waiting for the teacher at school, before you go to bed and almost anywhere else at almost any time.

Write on,
Evie