What are the writing tips people wished they’d known sooner? I sent a request for comments to a wide variety of experts in various fields and asked them that exact question.
Believe in Yourself and Set Small Goals
As a first-time author, it took me four years to turn my book idea into reality. One of the biggest lessons I learned was to believe in myself and quiet the “Who am I to write this?” voice. What helped me get unstuck was setting small, achievable goals. I’d commit to writing for 15 minutes, celebrating any extra time I wrote, rather than setting unrealistic goals and feeling like I failed.
Another game-changer? Letting the first draft be bad. The purpose of a first draft isn’t perfection—it’s progress. The only goal of a first draft is to get your ideas out of your head and onto the page, no matter how messy. For aspiring authors, my advice is simple: underpromise to yourself, overdeliver when you can, and embrace the messiness of the creative process. Every word moves you closer to your goal.
Use First Drafts to Explore Ideas
I’ve often found that aspiring authors fall into the habit of self-editing their initial drafts too—sometimes to the point of censoring themselves and avoiding writing altogether. As a writer, I’ve done this myself before, so I know it’s easy to get caught up in what you want your final piece of work to look and feel like.
As an editor, I always encourage aspiring writers to use their first drafts to get their thoughts out on the page. Don’t stop yourself from writing because you’re worried about making mistakes; first drafts are the place to explore your ideas and experiment. Nothing is written in stone, and you have the ability to change things after you write your first draft.
Once the draft is written, you can then go through the manuscript and self-edit. Following that, you can work with an editor. However, you can only edit what’s on the page, so give yourself permission to write and start doing it!
Plan and Outline Before Writing
The most valuable lesson I’ve learned about the writing process is the importance of planning and outlining before diving in.
Early in my career, I used to jump straight into writing, only to get stuck midway through. Now, I realize that creating a clear structure and understanding the purpose of the content from the start saves time and makes the writing more cohesive.
For aspiring authors, my advice is to embrace the power of drafts. Don’t aim for perfection in the first go—let your ideas flow freely, and refine them later. Writing is as much about editing and refining as it is about creativity.
Capture Ideas Immediately
One of the best writing lessons I’ve learned is to stop waiting for the perfect moment to write. Ideas don’t care about your schedule.
I keep a running note in my Notes app or Google Docs to dump thoughts the second they hit. It doesn’t have to be polished—it just has to exist.
Getting ideas out of your head and onto the page is how momentum builds. Edit later. Capture now.
Embrace Rewriting and Editing
The biggest lesson? Writing is rewriting. I used to think the first draft had to be perfect, but it’s really just the raw material you shape into something great. The magic happens in the edits—cutting fluff, tightening sentences, and finding the heart of the story.
My advice to aspiring authors: don’t obsess over getting it right the first time. Just get the words down, even if they’re messy. Progress beats perfection, and clarity comes with the grind.
Have at least some idea of where you are going with your story
It took me a long time to discover that if I had at least some idea of where I was going with my story, writing it was faster and easier. I’m not a planner by any means – I mostly make it up as I go along because that way I get to enjoy the story unfolding too. However, I like to have a few bullet points for the chapter. Nothing too detailed, just enough to prevent me from stopping to ask, “Okay, brain, what do they do next?”
In the same way that I want to know the destination but not the journey for the plot, I also want to know the same for my characters. I find that a clue or two about how a character will change and grow over the story helps me write them with greater depth. At the very least, I want to have a vague idea about where they start and where they end up.
Writing is a journey; at the very least, you should know which way the compass should point.
Over to you
Now, it is your turn. What writing lesson do you wish you had learned sooner? Do you agree with our pundits or do you have a different perspective?
We’d all love to hear from you – leave a comment, send a reply, or give us a mention.