Use these tips to improve your basic writing!
- Combining Sentences
- Adding Brushstrokes
- Using stronger Verbs and Nouns
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- Imagery
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New to writing? Or maybe you’ve been writing seriously for a while, but you aren’t seeing the results you want. Writing, like any craft, is something that you can develop and improve on through deliberate practice. It’s not a fixed talent that you’re either born with or you’re not. Anyone, through practice, study and learning can be come a good writer.
And it’s starts with some basics.
Combining Sentences
Maybe your English teacher talked about this. At least, I hope your English teacher talked about this. Combining sentences is one of the greatest (and fastest ways) to instantly improve your writing. Most writers just starting out have a propensity to write in simple sentences. (Quick review: A simple sentence is an independent clause with a complete subject and a complete predicate.) Simple sentences are great; they’re punches of impact in your writing and you should be using them. Sparingly.
Simple sentences, when used far too often, can lead to “staccato” writing. It’s choppy and interrupted. Instead, you can combine them together in a variety or other sentence constructions: compound, complex (my favorite) and compound-complex sentences.
And just in case you need examples of what I’m talking about:
- Compound: The author often wrote in compound sentences, but she sometimes forgot to punctuate.
- Complex: While she was typing furiously at her keyboard, Anna was interrupted by her child.
- Compound-complex: After Peter nagged for a snack, Anna left her office, and she went to the kitchen for some cheese and crackers.
Mix it up, combining different sentences and using those short simple sentences for major impact.
Adding Brushstrokes
Buckle up, because this next one is a useful tool for your toolbox. “Brushstrokes”, as created in Image Grammar by Henry Noden, are the method by which authors and writers “paint with words”. These simple methods help create vibrate, visual images in your readers mind.
Participial Phrase
Also known as the “-ing modifier” are participial phrases used as either an opener, interrupter, or closer in the sentence. They provide action that can help your reader visualize something in the midst of happening. When beginning or interrupting a sentence, these phrases should be separated with a comma: Plummeting toward earth, the skydiver yanked on his parachute cord.
You can also use more than one in a sentence, but I wouldn’t recommend more than two. After that it gets a little redundant.
Absolute
Similar to the -ing modifier, the absolute combines and -ing verb with a noun to give powerful description or action in your writing. Example: palms sweating, eyes darting, knees trembling, etc. This one can be easy to overdo , so use sparingly for greatest impact: Heart racing, she punched in to the code for the safe.
Like the -ing modifier, you can use more than on in a sentence, but after awhile, they lose their power.
Adjectives Out of Order
Love them or hate them, adjectives are a useful tool in your writer’s toolbox. HOWEVER, they can be a crutch to avoid some of the more masterful craft elements of writing. (But they’re not as bad as adverbs; don’t get me started.)
If you intend to use adjectives—which is great, I love me a good adjective—consider the placement of those adjectives. Often we can see them in a long string of nonsense: She pulled her long, brown, wavy, hair into a pony tail. Oof. That’s a little much, don’t you think?
Instead, minimize the amount used, and strategically place them for the biggest impact: She pulled her hair, long and brown, into a pony tail.
Appositives
Not my favorite, but it is a useful little tool to keep in your back pocket. It’s one of the first I teach my students, because it’s easier to understand and implement.
Appositives are simply a noun or noun phrase that renames and/or give more information about your subject. For example: Bill Jenkins, a CEO at a tech company, was shot in back behind a Nordstrom’s department store.
At face value, appositives don’t seem that valuable. But when used creatively, they do elevate your writing.
Active Action Verbs
Simply put, ACTIVE VOICE ALWAYS.
Gosh, I hope I wasn’t unclear.
Is there a time and place for passive voice? Sure, probably. But not in fiction. But often I think we revert to passive voice because it “sounds smarter” or “feels more intellectual.” But in reality, it eliminates action in your readers mind. For example:
- Passive: The cup was slammed on the counter by David.
- Active: David slammed the cup on the counter.
Which creates a more vivid picture in your mind? If you didn’t say active, you’re lying. If you’ve been receiving a lot of rejections that state: too much telling and not enough showing, first take a look at your verbs and see if they’re doing their job.
And speaking of verbs…
Using stronger Verbs and Nouns
Remember when I called adjectives a crutch? (I did, go back and look.) Instead of choosing stronger nouns and verbs, we qualify our weak words with a bunch of modifiers. (Piercing, blue eyes, anyone?) The effect is often either overly descriptive writing that most would skim, (at best) or amateurish writing that no agent or editor will look at (at worst).
Instead, word choice, baby. Your protagonist doesn’t walked slowly, he saunters. Your FMC doesn’t yell loudly, she screeches. The hero doesn’t hold his lady gently, he cherishes her as if she’s made of porcelain. You get the point?
Get started writing with my FREE writing process eBook! This book takes you step by step through the process to help you nail your next writing project.
Imagery
This is definitely writing 101, but it’s worth revisiting and being intentional about. When writing, always pull in the fives senses to expand a scene, ground your reader, and make your world come alive.
It’s obvious, isn’t it? Yet, in our rush to get a plot figure out, or make sure we have a satisfying character arc, we can forget some of the basics. What does the scene look and smell like? What sounds does your character hear? What does your character smell, and (even better) what memory or fear does that scent trigger? Your character is going to constantly be experiencing their environment and REACTING TO IT. It’s your job as the writing to pull out all those little threads and weave it together in your world.
Disclaimer
I threw a lot at you. But here’s the reality: You do not have to have this all down in your first draft. In fact, your first draft is going to be terrible. Go ahead and use all the adjectives and adverbs, passive voice, and simple sentences. No one’s going to see it, so it can be the worst writing you’ve ever done. Remember, the goal for the first draft is to just get it down. Imperfectly.
These tips are intended to be used in your revisions. Once that crappy first draft is done, you have the tools needed to turn bad writing into better writing. And eventually, into amazing writing.
Did I leave anything out? Shoot me a comment down below and maybe I’ll do a part two of this series. I’m always happy to help give writing tips. (And publishing tips. And querying tips.)
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