By Deren Bott
I’ve often heard the advice that writers become better writers by simply practicing their writing. While I believe this is true—especially because experience with writing is how you build skills—here are some other ways you can enhance your own writing.
Read
One of the best ways writers can enhance their own writing is by reading. Reading books is not only a great way to generate new ideas, but it also gives you insight into how other writers approach their stories. If there is a particular part of writing you struggle with, you can pay special attention to how authors/stories you like address those parts. For example, if you struggle with endings, re-read a book that you loved how it ended and try to identify what the author did to make you love that ending.
Get Out of Your Comfort Zone
Another way to enhance your writing is by getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing new things. While it is possible to write prolific pieces of literature without ever leaving the front door, your writing will be so much richer with real-life experience behind it. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to travel to whatever location you have your story set in (which would be really expensive and might be impossible in the case of a fantasy/sci-fi world), but there are many everyday experiences that can be crucial in developing your writing. For example, meeting new people can help you learn how to write realistic characters.
Take a Break
Finally, sometimes the best thing you can do to enhance your writing is to take a break. Many writers get so fixated on their story being perfect that it’s all they can think about, especially if writer’s block gets in the way. Rather than spend hours staring at the blinking cursor, it can be better to set aside your writing and come back to it once you’ve had a break. This will give you fresh eyes and a new perspective. The length of the break is going to be different for every person, but having a break every once in a while is a great way to hit your internal reset button and can really enhance your writing.