Writing Techniques:
As Many Ways As There Are Genres

There are as many writing techniques as there are authors. If you write non-fiction, certain techniques will help you but may not help a novelist (or they may). For someone writing memoirs, other processes will help. Poetry, technical manuals, children's fiction or screenplays, all have techniques that can help. And many methods may cross the lines of genre, helping anyone writing anything.

How do you choose which methods will help you the most?

By experimenting with as many as you need until you find the best way to pour your words out onto the page (or screen).

For the purposes of this website, we'll look mostly at creating fiction, though I'll touch briefly on techniques that can help many others, if applied to their own writing.


Writing Fiction

Whether you prefer writing science fiction or writing historical fiction (or any other genre or sub-genre of fiction), writing techniques that apply directly to your genre are certain to help you get that novel written. Or that short story, if that's your fiction passion.

Particular to science fiction and historical fiction, time stretching can help you convey the world you're writing about. This means writing as if you're years in the future or past. Studying other writers who use techniques like this when they write will help you with your own writing, even if you don't use the technique as strictly.

Another method you might try when writing fiction is to create figurative language to deepen the meaning of your descriptions. Or practice writing about a specific object in as much detail as possible.

Writing prompts are another way to get the fiction juices flowing freely. Especially if they are aimed at practicing various parts of fiction writing. Get creative - or create your own prompts, if you can't find any that help you.


Writing a Novel

Okay, now you have a few writing techniques to help you write fiction.

But what about writing a novel? That's much longer fiction and comes with it's own obstacles. Here are several techniques that may help you finish your next long project.

Try using a gratitude journal. Write out your gratitude every day, write out your focus, write out how you feel after it's all happened: after you've become a bestselling author.

Make promises to yourself: "I'll write no less than 500 words per day, no less than five days a week." Then keep them.

Create a detailed list of goals, breaking down the novel-writing process into small steps. When I'm working on a book, I give myself deadlines for every small goal. Another form of a promise to myself. Then I work hard to keep that promise.

It doesn't matter if you like science fiction writing or romance writing or poetry writing. Using these techniques will help you succeed in your
writing life.


Creative Fiction Writing

Maybe you write in genres that need more creativity than others. Writing fantasy fiction takes more imagination than other types of fiction because you're creating the entire world or realm you're writing about. And maybe creating some of the creatures, too.

Some fiction writing techniques that can help with that include drawing maps, writing character sketches or background information about how your world works. Try interviewing your characters to get to know more about them and their world.

If you draw, sketch how your world looks, then transcribe that to words, using as much detail as possible. Evoke all the senses, not just sight. So much of what we write is visual, we often forget how much taste, touch, smell and sound can add to our novels.

Not sure how to describe some of those things? Try brewing a rich hot chocolate on a cold day. Smell it, taste it, let it trickle slowly down your throat. Watch the steam curl upwards from the mug in sunlight.

Then write what you felt in every sense.

Digging deeper into our everyday lives can help us write better fiction. Even if we're making it all up.


Write a Bestseller

So you want to write a bestseller. What writing techniques are going to
help you?

I think one of the best techniques is to immerse yourself in the world your characters are living in. Now I know we can't all live in the places we write about, nor even visit them, but we can read about, watch movies about and try to eat the foods from those places.

Anything that will help you understand more about what you're writing about will make your writing come alive. And that's what makes bestseller material.

Don't get too hung up on fiction trends; what's hot today may be long gone tomorrow (or at least by the time your book hits print). Write what you're passionate about. It'll show. And that will sell more books.

Whatever writing techniques get you writing, use them. It doesn't matter if everyone tells you "That technique is only for amateurs," or "Only poets use methods like that." If the technique fits, wear it - I mean use it! After all, it's your writing.