Things I do to become a better writer

How I continuously improve my craft

After my writing break in March, I came back to a couple of very productive months. I received feedback from my beta readers on my 2nd draft of my current novel (a dystopian grounded fantasy), edited and finished the 3rd draft, sent it to beta readers again, and now I am in the final round of edits before querying.

During editing and comparing the different drafts of my novel, I have realised quite a big change in my writing style. And while I thought about what could have contributed to this positive development – apart from, you know, writing my novel – I have come across a few things that continuously help me become a better writer.

Let me share them with you!

1. Read, Read, Read

This one should be a no-brainer, but I have come across a surprisingly big number of writers who claim to not read a lot themselves. In my experience, reading often and reading widely can make a tremendous difference when it comes to developing your writing style. A year ago, my reading list consisted exclusively of SFF novels, but this year I have taken it upon myself to read in genres I would not normally read, and I have been loving it. (Joining a book club has also helped with this.)

No matter the author, no matter if literary, memoir, romance, or horror – if it sounds interesting, I will read it. Bonus points if you speak a different language and read these novels as well.

Writing styles differ by genre, and reading widely ensures you don’t start to accidentally copy a certain style. Instead, you get to figure out which elements of style you like, what speaks to you, and how you can apply these things to your own work.

Personally, I have made it a goal to read the original version of Han Kang’s ‘The Vegetarian’ to practice my Korean. This might be a 5-year project, but I’m ready! I mean, look at that cover. I also want to read more novels in my native language, German, again.

2. Beta read/Critique other people’s work

I am fortunate enough to be in a critique group with wonderful authors, with whom I regularly (or not so regularly) share my work and, in turn, critique theirs. Giving feedback to others makes me look more critically at my own writing and brings things to my attention that I have previously overlooked.

While critiquing chapters or shorter excerpts of work teaches a lot about the writing craft, beta reading an entire novel can help give a different perspective on plot, structure, and characters.

You can find writing groups and writers looking for beta readers online, on Reddit, Instagram, and other freelance platforms, or maybe even within your friend group!

3. Read craft books / Articles on the writing craft

No matter if you struggle with structure, plot, characters, or prose – there is a book out there that can help you with it. The number of writing craft books is truly astounding, and reading them has not only helped me stay on track with my novel structure in the past, but also introduced me to concepts such as Island Writing.

Admittedly, I have been slacking off with this as of late, but reading craft books is definitely something I want to get back into. One of my favourite books is ‘Refuse to be done’ by Matt Bell, which gets into the nitty-gritty of finishing a novel in three drafts.

‘On Writing’ by Stephen King is next on my list, and make sure to let me know which craft books you would recommend!

4. Get feedback on your own writing

Thinking back to the second point, don’t hesitate to let others read your work and give you feedback, no matter how vulnerable this might feel at first. If you don’t have access to a group of writers, I would recommend reaching out to people who are familiar with the genre you write. If you ask for feedback from your family and friends, make sure to set clear guidelines and expectations at the start to avoid conflict and disappointment.

Just remember:

No feedback = No growth.

5. Live a little

Writing is about sharing emotions, experiences, and how you see the world. If you’re able, the more you go out to explore, the more alive your writing will feel, imbued with the feelings and adventures you have experienced.

Every time I visit a new place, meet new people, or simply leave the house, I stumble upon something I can later use in my writing. A quirky trait to make a character feel real, a little detail to accurately write about a location, or a sensory moment that helps me describe the smell of summer rain. Go outside, and you will find it.

So there we have it: the five things that continuously make me improve my craft. Is there anything you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments!

Also, I decided to take my social media presence more seriously again after I thought about the all-important question: do I want to go through the query trenches again or self-publish right away?

In the end, I decided to try querying again while simultaneously building my audience, since even trad-published authors have to do their marketing themselves nowadays.

So, if you are also on Instagram and/or TikTok, trying to grow your audience, feel free to click on the links in my Substack profile and leave a follow so I can follow you back!