Lulu Taylor Writers Tip

“I always say that the first thing to do is to finish something. That puts you way ahead of all the other aspiring writers who are never finishing their books! It’s tempting to keep stopping and editing, but try to press on to the end. Once you’ve finished, you’ll be able to take a step back and start working out what the story is actually about, and whether it’s working. I always recommend taking a break from a book as well – a few weeks without looking at it, so you can approach it again with a fresh eye. Don’t ask family or friends to read and criticise – you’ll probably get unalloyed praise, which is nice but not that useful, or you’ll be incredibly annoyed by their criticism. It’s always great to try and get feedback from unbiased sources, which is why writing groups can be so useful. To first-time writers, I would caution that they beware of trying too hard. Where possible, always take the simple route while you are learning the craft. Steer clear of fancy structures that get in the way of the story, or multiple narrative voices (one novel I read had about fourteen narrators, all of them talking in the same voice), or incredibly overcomplicated plots. Think about a strong story, clear characterization, natural dialogue and how to weave together the elements of plot and description so that the reader is effortlessly transported into the story. Easy to say, very hard to do!”

Lulu Taylor