Are you a serious, teen writer? If so, don’t go anywhere because I’m going to share with you my first five of ten tips for serious teen writers (and really, these tips can apply to all writers, regardless of age. So even if you’re not a teen, stick around!).
This is a topic I’m passionate about because, well, I am a serious teen writer! And what I’m about to share with you are some of the top strategies that have helped me in my writing journey. I hope you’ll find at least a few of them helpful as well.
#1 Get feedback on your writing
Many times, there are flaws in your writing that you as the author just can’t pick up on—character inconsistencies, plot holes—you name it.
That’s why feedback is so important.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve said, “Oh, yeah! Duh!” when reading a critique someone’s given me on a piece of writing because it just made so much sense!
It was so obvious, but not something I would have been able to spot on my own because I’m so close to my writing. It’s great to get another set of eyes to see all the things I might have missed.
There are tons of places writers can get feedback. If you have any writer friends, that’s a great option. But if you don’t have any, here are some other ideas:
My #1 recommendation for young writers is the Young Writer’s Workshop, which is where I get most of my feedback from. While it is a paid program, they do have a pay-what-you-can policy.
A great online forum that I’ve also been getting feedback from lately is the forum on Kingdom Pen. The people there are super encouraging and helpful.
There are also Facebook and Goodreads groups where writers can get feedback. I haven’t used any of these before, but it could be something to look into.
There are some websites specifically designed for writers to get critiques such as Critique Circle, Fiction Press and Scribophile that you can check out too.
These are just a few of the many ways writers can get feedback.
Now you may be thinking, hang on a second—what if someone steals my work?
This is a common fear that a lot of writers let hold them back from taking this crucial step. But the truth is, it’s not as big a deal as a lot of people think it is.
See, whenever you write something, you immediately own the rights to it. Your work is copyrighted under the law. So if someone were to steal it, you could sue them.
And the truth is, this doesn’t happen very often. That’s not to say it doesn’t ever happen, but it really isn’t as common as lots of people think it is.
Finally, I know sharing your work can be scary but you just need to persevere and remember not to take it personally. Your critiquers are critiquing your writing—not you as a person.
There’s no getting around that initial nervousness that comes with sharing your writing, but it gets better and you’ll soon find that it is absolutely worth it in the long run if you wish to improve your writing.
#2 Keep Learning
This point is super important because writing isn’t really a skill you can master. There’s always more to learn.
Don’t stop learning even when you think you know enough!
Keep reading those blog posts and writing craft books. Keep listening to those podcasts and watching those writing videos.
If you need some ideas on writing resources, here are some of my favorite:
These are just a few examples but there are tons more out there! So keep writing and keep learning!
#3 Set Reasonable Goals
Setting goals is so important because if you’re serious about writing and publishing, you will eventually face deadlines.
When you get a book deal and sign your contract, you are promising to edit your draft (or whatever part of the process you’re at) by a certain date. This is true for independent publishing as well, to some extent, because even though you’ll be setting your own deadlines, you don’t want to spend years and years between publishing books.
This is why it’s extremely beneficial to start making goals for yourself now before you’re published to make it easier later on.
Many writers spend years writing their first book, tweaking and perfecting it. Then when they’re finally ready, they might get a literary agent and a book contract and all is well. But the trouble comes when they’re on deadline for their second book. Now they don’t have all that time anymore, and they fail to meet their deadline.
That’s why goals are so important!
Not all of us can work on such strict deadlines, especially when first starting out, which is why I’m putting such emphasis on setting reasonable goals. Set goals that make sense for you and what you’re capable of at your current situation.
One way to do this is to track how much time you have to write in a given day. Let’s say I have time to write for one hour every day. I’d set a timer and see how much I can write in one hour. Let’s say I can write one thousand words in an hour. I’d multiply this by seven days in a week, which means I can write seven thousand words in a week. To write my 50,00 word novel, I’d have about seven weeks. And now, I have a reasonable goal for myself!
One way to make sure you reach these goals is by rewarding yourself! Finally finish the first draft of your novel? Eat some ice cream and relax with Netflix! You deserve it, after all. Completing goals is huge, so don’t forget to treat yourself.
#4 Start a platform
When I first got serious about writing, I still didn’t fully understand the importance of platform. And why is having a platform so important anyway? I think the reason has a lot to do with publishing. When considering your book, publishers consider many things such as your writing, your concept, and your platform. Having a platform before you start pursuing publishing is so important because publishers want to know that you can sell books! One way to measure this is by how big your platform is.
Even if you plan on independently publishing, this tip still applies because it’s always good to start building your platform, so you’re better prepared when you’re ready to start publishing. In fact, some might say, having a platform is even more important for those looking to independently publish because when the time comes, they’ll need to do all their book marketing on their own since they have no publishing house to back them up.
Some platform ideas are:
A blog
An email list
Social media (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc.)
You definitely don’t have to do all of these (I don’t have social media), but definitely consider at least giving one of them a try.
#5 Don’t give up
This might be the most important of all these tips; even if it is the most self-explanatory. Because it’s true!
There are so many people who will ask why you’re wasting your time on writing.
“The chances of your getting published are one in a million!” they’ll tell you.
But I’m going to tell you right now…
DON’T LISTEN TO THEM.
Writing is a viable career, if you’re serious and passionate about it and willing to put in all the hard work. So, keep persevering and don’t give up even when it’s hard!
That’s all I have! Do you agree with these tips? Do you have any you would add? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
I’ll also be writing a second post with five more tips, so stay tuned!
Until next time,
Kayleigh Idea