The Best Writing Advice from 10 Famously Successful Authors

Successful authors on how they bring the magic to their writing.

Writers like Virginia Woolf and J.K. Rowling agree that there is no such thing as a handbook for writing. What we do know is that writing is a beautiful but complicated beast and every author has their own process that they bring to their writing journey. While there is not a 10 step process to becoming a great writer, we thought some of the greats might have a pearl of wisdom or two we could dig up and share. So, let’s take a look at the writing advice of some super successful authors and learn how they bring the magic to their writing.

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Stephen King — Leave out the boring parts (and kill your darlings).

“Killing your darlings” is probably the hardest thing about writing. Writing is a personal craft, so it’s natural that you become attached to everything you write. Sometimes, though, words, sentences, paragraphs or entire chapters are irrelevant to the story. They do nothing but slow down the story’s pace, which makes it boring. Don’t let your story get boring.

Zadie Smith — Put your work in a drawer before you edit it.

Smith advises authors to lock a finished transcript away for as long as possible, preferably a year, to be able to start the editing process with fresh eyes. It is helpful to be able to read a story as its reader, not its writer.

J.K. Rowling — Be independent.

If you have an idea for a story that needs to be told, tell it. Don’t listen to people who tell you certain things won’t work and others definitely will. Sometimes, you just have to follow your gut.

Toni Morrison — Write for the reader, not the listener.

According to Morrison, you shouldn’t read your work out loud while you’re writing, because you’ll automatically infuse it with performance. You should write for the reader and make sure the flow and rhythm work on the page.

Ernest Hemingway — Practice observational skills.

So much of telling a vivid story is trying to make a reader feel present in the world you’ve created. The best way to do this, is to describe everything, not just colors and shapes, but also emotions, scents, movements and sensations. According to Hemingway, you should practice this during your everyday life. So next time you’re in the vegetable aisle, try to describe what it’s like to pick up a lemon or smell a bunch of basil.

Ta-Nehisi Coates — Keep writing.

This one is pretty straight-forward: if you want to become a better writer, keep writing. Push yourself to repeat the process over and over again, and at some point you’ll (hopefully) have a breakthrough. Coates also considers the entire process of writing a failure. Things often start with a brilliant idea, but to get that on to paper is impossible. So you keep coming back to it and revising it until it becomes as close to that brilliant idea as possible.

Joan Didion — Grammar is power.

Metaphor queen Didion compares sentences to a camera. If you alter the position of the words (camera) the meaning (picture) will change. Knowing grammar and using it to your advantage are therefore powerful.

Rupi Kaur — Don’t overthink it.

Kaur made everyone a poetry lover. She believes that, in poetry, you shouldn’t overthink your work. Your first draft should be your last.

John Steinbeck — Write rapidly.

You should keep writing until the entire story is on paper. Don’t stop to revise or edit your work, because it will slow you down and interfere with the natural flow and rhythm that arise while you write.

Virginia Woolf — Begin with a character.

It goes without saying that, without characters, there is no story. As a reader, you want to connect with characters, you want to see them develop, you want to know what they think, you want to experience what they go through. To create a vivid character is to write a story that people get involved with. Let the characters lead the story.

Above all, every single writer who ever lived suggests you to — Read, read, read.

The best way to improve your writing is to read a lot. By reading, you’ll learn what works, what you enjoy and what phrases other authors use to describe things. So, pick up a nice book and spend the afternoon reading. Who knows, maybe it will spark some inspiration and give you a reason to come back to this article to see how you can start writing your own story.