Tips For Writers - Week 3

Posted on 22nd August, 2019

Welcome to Week 3 of my summer series of writing tips that originally appeared in a series called It Works For Me.

 

Julie Stock writes contemporary romance novels. Her latest book is The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge.

 

When I'm writing a first draft, I try to write a minimum amount each day. If I am not under lots of pressure, I might make this 1,000 words a day, but if it's a busy time, I set my target to something more manageable. If I'm editing or rewriting, I find it much harder to get down to it because it's so much more involved! Still, I try to achieve something on my list of things to do every day.

 

Julie's author page on Amazon

 

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After spending some years as a highly successful writer of short stories for women's magazines, Wendy Clarke is now a novelist with two psychological thrillers under her belt.

 

Don't info dump. This is especially relevant to historical stories. Okay, so I've done my research and know everything there is to know about the Industrial Revolution or nursing in the 19th century. The magazine readers don't need to know, though... honestly they don't! I add any relevant information into my story sparingly, rather than give the reader a whole paragraph about the 1833 Factory Act or Louis Pasteur's germ theory.

 

Wendy's author page on Amazon  

 

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Emma Davies lives in beautiful Shropshire, which provides endless inspiration for her books.

 

Know your 'use it all the time' words. Everybody has these and it often takes somebody else to point them out to you - usually your editor! Mine is 'just.' - 'I just wouldn't want it any other way.' - 'I just want to ask you something.' Get to know your 'use it all the time' words and try to write without them. You'll save yourself a lot of time when you come to editing.

 

Emma's author page on Amazon 

 

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