Any author is bound to read a lot of terrible writing advice.

The kind of advice that makes you feel inferior.

The kind that makes you feel you’ll never be ‘good enough’ to get your work out there.

But don’t feel disheartened!

Instead of giving up and letting your writing dreams die, here are 23 better perspectives.

1 – Write whenever you can fit it in

If you’re like many writers, you were probably guilty of this mistake, at least when you first started writing. 

Most writing careers start out more like hobbies. You feel very passionate about writing, but see it as less important than other things in your life. If you can fit it in, great. But it often isn’t a priority. 

This approach is fine for people looking to write on a casual basis. But if you’re reading this, that probably isn’t you.

You should instead make a writing routine that works for you. Block out a dedicated time for focused writing work. If something unavoidable crops up, reschedule it. 

2 – Don’t share your work until it is perfect

It’s natural to feel a little insecure or uncertain about your writing. 

After all, our craft is deeply personal. The thought of others reading and judging your work might make you strive for perfection before putting anything out into the world. 

As understandable as this idea is, it’s also deeply mistaken. Your work will never be perfect. But it can be improved! 

However, that improvement only occurs when you come out of your comfort zone and get feedback. Bite the bullet and get your work out there. It will benefit you immensely. 

3 – Make your first writing project a novel

Becoming a novelist is probably the ultimate goal for most creative writers.

But while this might be your ultimate aim, it isn’t necessarily the best place to start.

You might find it better to start by working on your craft skills and building up to bigger projects. Methodically learn and practice different elements of writing until you feel confident enough to take things further.

After you feel comfortable enough with your craft, consider writing articles, short stories, and novellas. These are great ways of training for a full novel. 

4 – Multitask while working

There’s nothing worse for deeply creative work than being distracted. 

Trying to make progress on your word count while your attention is being dragged in every other direction is a nightmare.

A lot of writers suggest fully turning off your phone while you write, but that of course isn’t possible for everyone. If you need to be available for an emergency, consider only allowing certain notifications through. 

You don’t need to write in total silence or isolation though unless that’s what you prefer. Writing in a cafe might boost your creativity. Just stay on task, wherever you happen to be!

5 – Copy the routines of your favorite writers

It’s interesting to learn about the habits, routines, and lifestyles of your favorite writers. But that doesn’t mean you need to copy them verbatim.

What works for someone else might not work for you. Instead, use famous writing routines as ideas to test. But don’t stick with them if you find you aren’t getting the results you hoped for. 

The best way forward is to try different things until you settle on your bespoke writing routine. Even then, don’t be afraid to mix things up as needed. 

6 – Use your normal writing app 

Unlike a lot of creative pursuits, writing has the advantage of not requiring expensive equipment to get started. Great authors need nothing more than a pen and paper to practice their craft.

But, just because you can write with almost anything, it doesn’t mean you should.

Plenty of specialist writing tools and apps exist with special features that go above and beyond regular word processors. Take the time to explore your writing software options and settle on the one that’s the best fit for your needs and budget. 

7 – Your writing exists in isolation

Sometimes, there’s a kind of romantic notion that writers are capable of working on nothing but inspiration and coffee. 

The reality of the situation is that everything about your physical and mental state impacts your work. Being rested, calm, and hydrated all play a part in being able to write well. 

If you’re finding it difficult to write, check in with yourself. Do you need a mental break? A glass of water? A walk outside?

Over time, you’ll learn the external factors that affect your work the most and learn how to get in your zone of peak performance. 

8 – Writing is an innate talent 

Too many people see writing ability as something you either do or don’t have. 

While certain people may be more inclined towards writing than others, absolutely everyone is capable of improving, no matter their starting skill level. 

Don’t use this myth as an excuse to avoid working. Instead, accept that writing is a learnable skill like any other. Make a plan to improve your weak points rather than blaming things on a lack of innate ability. 

9 – Write with other forms of media in mind

Some writers write with a focus on what their words might eventually become.

If your dream is to have your work adapted, this might be a sensible approach. But even then it’s often the wrong way to go. Most great books are adapted because they are amazing stories. Not because they were written with the screen in mind.

When you write, you should only ever orient your words towards your intended reader. Make your book perfect for them. If it’s good enough, other forms of media might well take notice. 

10 – Spend every available minute writing 

Let’s face it. If you love writing, it’s an enjoyable way to pass the time. There’s nothing quite like getting into a flow state and making serious progress on a project. 

But if you write too often, you run the risk of several problems. You might burn out and lose your love of the craft. You will almost certainly find that your quality suffers after some time. 

Instead, it’s best to balance writing with other activities. Make time for reading and anything that stimulates your mind and replenishes your creativity. 

11 – Don’t write for anyone other than yourself 

There’s an elitist point of view out there that suggests writing with a market in mind is somehow sleazy or wrong. 

This couldn’t be further from the truth. There is no harm at all in identifying a group of readers you want to serve and writing with them in mind. 

The only time this advice is kind of true is when there’s a total mismatch between your interests and your writing. If you have no interest or enthusiasm for your subject, your work is bound to suffer. 

12 – Write from the perspective of any character you can imagine

This is a controversial tip related to fiction writing. It’s important to understand both sides of the debate here.

On the one hand, a lot of people have the view that pure creative freedom overrides everything else. Writers should have total liberty to step into the shoes of anyone they can imagine.

On the other hand, it can be problematic when writers try to showcase cultures, ethnicities, or sexualities other than their own. There are ways of doing it, but it should be treated with immense sensitivity. 

This isn’t to say that some types of characters are fully off limits to you. Instead, think carefully about your characters and how to portray them in the most sensitive way possible. 

13 – You need a formal writing education before beginning 

A large portion of the writing world is still based around snobbery and elitism. 

While it’s true that some people will only take your work seriously if you have a certain type of formal writing education, you really shouldn’t worry about these people at all. 

Learning how to write well is incredibly important. It’s something you should never stop pursuing. But that doesn’t have to happen in a formal context. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

14 – Don’t take any days off

Have you come across the ‘hustle culture’? 

It’s popular on social media and implies that any time not pursuing your goals is wasted time.

That’s pretty much nonsense. Even in a conventional work setting, it’s been shown that working fewer days doesn’t lead to a drop in productivity. 

If you want to write each day, by all means, do it. But don’t be afraid to take time off whenever you feel you should. It’s more likely to refresh and inspire your writing than harm it. Just don’t take time off to the extent that your overall writing goals suffer. 

15 – Avoid writing genre fiction

This piece of terrible advice, like a lot of others on the list, comes from nothing but snobbery. 

Some fiction authors think only literary writing is worthy of praise. Genre fiction is somehow unworthy of being considered good writing.

This is so untrue. Some of the most enjoyable books out there fall into the category of genre fiction. 

If you want to write this type of fiction, go ahead. Have fun and don’t worry about what the critics say.

16 – Use whichever tone you prefer 

One of the fastest ways for good writing to be badly received is by taking the wrong tone. 

It’s important to match your tone to what your readers expect. While you should always write in your authentic voice, you should be capable of expressing this in different tones. 

The fastest way to get a feel for the right tone is to read examples of the best work in that genre. Identify as many commonalities as possible. Can you authentically hit that tone in your own voice? Unless you can, it’s probably not the best type of writing for you to pursue. 

17 – Only write if you feel genuine passion

Is it good to have an overall passion for writing? Absolutely. Are you going to feel passionate every time you write? Absolutely not!

If you limit yourself to writing when you feel moments of peak passion, you probably won’t get a lot done. 

Sometimes, writing will feel like a grind. That’s OK. Nothing feels good all of the time.

When you make your peace with the fact that you won’t always feel passionate about your writing, you are more likely to be able to write no matter how you feel at the time. 

18 – Write without worrying about marketing 

While you shouldn’t let your writing be dictated by marketing, you also shouldn’t treat it as an afterthought. 

Thinking about the readers you will market to, and how you will delight them, can inspire and inform your writing. 

For example, visual marketing elements like your book cover might inspire the content of your words. You might choose chapter titles with marketing in mind. 

Marketing should never be the main driving force behind your book. But it also shouldn’t be ignored. Strike a balance to achieve the best results for your work. 

19 – Spend all your time talking about being a writer on social media

OK, this is a little bit sarcastic. 

But if you’ve spent a lot of time around the writing world you’ll know it’s not entirely untrue.

Sadly, it seems like a lot of writers love the identity of being a writer more than the actual process of writing. 

There’s no harm in smartly using social media to form connections and promote your work. But only if the majority of your effort and energy is spent on actually writing!

20 – Avoid referencing pop culture 

Some writers get given the advice that they should never reference anything contemporary in their work. 

This stems from not wanting a book to seem dated to future audiences. But is it always true?

It depends entirely on the objective of your book. If you’re writing fiction and you want your story to seem timeless, this tip makes sense. But if you want it to have a definite sense of time, references from that period help.

With nonfiction, similar advice applies. If you want to write a book about productivity that will be relevant for decades, talking about today’s technology probably isn’t a great approach. But if you want to speak to the readers of today, rather than the future, focusing on contemporary references doesn’t hurt at all.  

21 – There’s only one way to write

You should always be wary of people who claim to know the one true path towards anything. That includes writing.

Writers come in all shapes and sizes. We have different personalities. What is a good fit for someone else might not be a good fit for you.

For example, it might be true that a lot of incredible writers worked first thing in the morning. But plenty also worked at night!

While there isn’t one best way for everyone, there probably is a best way for you. Find your perfect writing location, routine, and tool. Don’t worry about what other people say. 

22 – Never give up on a writing project

Have you ever come across the myth that giving up on a writing project is somehow failing?

In truth, it’s sometimes the right option to quit and give up on a project entirely. If you’re not making progress, or it doesn’t serve your goals anymore, you shouldn’t complete it just for the sake of doing so. 

That’s not to say you should stop as soon as it gets difficult. But if a particular project no longer serves your overall aims, don’t be afraid to divert your energy elsewhere. 

23 – Don’t ever use adverbs or diverse dialogue tags 

This is one of the most commonly repeated pieces of fiction writing advice out there. 

While the core idea is true, it shouldn’t be taken so extremely. 

Too many adverbs or dialogue tags other than said are distracting and annoying. But used sparingly they can enhance your work. Just be conscious about their purpose and keep them to a minimum. 

Are you looking to become a co-author?

Working with another writer can help you achieve more together than you could apart.

But only if you work in the right way. 

Writing a book is hard enough as it is. But writing alongside another author adds a layer of complexity to the process.

It’s important to have a series of steps to follow to co-author a book successfully. 

Otherwise, it’s better to stick to a solo book, especially if it’s your first attempt. 

But if you can’t get the urgent out to collaborate out of your system?

Here’s a way that works.

1. What is the difference between an author and co-author?
2. How do you become a co-author?
3. Step 1 – Get on the same page creatively
4. Step 2 – Agree on a project plan
5. Step 3 – Divide up responsibilities 
6. Step 4 – Determine your budget 
7. Step 5 – Choose your writing tools 
8. Step 6 – Establish a communications cadence
9. Step 7 – Consider future projects

What is the difference between an author and co-author?

If this seems obvious, feel free to skip ahead! But there’s no harm in getting clear on the basics. 

The term author applies to anyone who writes a book. A co-author is someone who writes a book in conjunction with another author.

Sometimes, a distinction is made between co-writers and co-authors. Co-authors are sometimes seen as having equal planning responsibility with the main author. Co-writers on the other hand write alongside someone else, but might not have any other responsibilities on the project. 

How do you become a co-author?

Becoming a co-author is as simple as finding someone you want to write a book with!

Of course, that isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Not everyone will be enthusiastic about the idea of writing a book collaboratively, and some of the people who are might not be a great fit for you.

So what are some ways to find suitable writers to co-author with?

• Online writing circles. If you’re a member of an online writing circle, you probably already have a good idea of which writers in the group you would work well with, and who would be interested in writing with you. Why not invite anyone in the circle who is interested to talk to you about co-authoring a book?

• Offline writing groups. Writing groups that meet offline are also great places to find potential co-authors. Having face to face contact with someone is one of the best ways to know if they will be a good fit for the book you want to write.

• Reaching out. Cold outreach can sometimes work. If there’s a writer you admire, why not contact them? It never hurts to ask, and the worst you will get is a no. Just make sure the two of you would be a good match for writing a book together. 

• Look on forums. Forums dedicated to writing are good places to try and find collaborators for a book project. Some have dedicated sections for writers who want to work together. Just make sure to take the time to get to know the other writer before committing to a project together. 

• Check social media. A lot of writers are active on social media, making it a great way to connect with potential co-authors outside your immediate circle. You might even be able to use hashtags to find writers seeking co-authors. 

Don’t rush into seeking another writer to co-author with. It’s a big commitment so being careful at the start can save a lot of frustration later on. 

So now that you have some places to seek out potential co-authors, how do you go about co-authoring a book?

Step 1 – Get on the same page creatively 

One of the keys to co-authoring a book successfully is to make sure you share expectations from the get go.

Just because you feel that someone is on the same page as you creatively, you can’t assume that this is the case. 

So what are some of the things you need to agree on with your coauthor before you get started?

• Your aims. What do you both want to get out of writing this book? There mustn’t be a conflict here. For example, if one of you is primarily focused on making money, and the other is looking to price the book low to generate leads, you’re going to run into trouble. Make sure that you have the same aim for the book, or at least aims that aren’t in conflict, before you get started.

• Your intended readers. You should have a shared vision for your intended readership. A book that aims to please everybody ends up pleasing nobody. What kind of reader do you want to reach? Which of their problems are you trying to solve? If you’re writing fiction, what type of fanbase do you want to reach? How will you meet their expectations and delight them?

• Your tone. What tone will your book take? Do you need to make sure you write in a similar tone, or can it be a little different? For fiction co-authors, sometimes each writer writes from the perspective of a different main character. This can allow for slightly different tones between writers.

• Your marketing approach. Marketing should never be treated as an afterthought. Discuss your intended approach to marketing before you even start writing. Do you share a similar vision? Are you in agreement on the type of marketing you want to carry out?

• Your contingency plan. Things don’t always go to plan. It’s important to discuss contingencies before you start writing. If someone wants to drop out of the project, how will that work? Will the other co-author still be able to work on the same book? You can avoid potential conflict by reaching an agreement early on. 

After you’ve reached an understanding with your co-author on all of the above, it’s time to plan your book. 

Step 2 – Agree on a project plan

Although it’s a cliche, failing to plan is planning to fail. 

Writing a book is never easy, and when you are co-authoring, some other complexities come into play. 

It’s important to have a solid, stage by stage plan of how your book will be produced and when different aspects need to be completed by. This ensures that proper time is allocated to everything and nothing is overlooked. 

The exact project plan you settle on might end up looking a little different, but feel free to use the following example as a guideline. 

1. Research. What kind of research will need to be conducted for your book? Which sources will you use, and how will your findings be stored? Will you divide up topics with your co-author, or will you both research the same things and share your findings?
2. Outlining. After you’ve researched your book idea in detail, you probably have a good idea of the topics it should cover. Turn these into an outline by creating a list of chapter titles or main chapter ideas. 
3. Drafting. How many drafts will your book need? Agree on both the number of drafts and the deadlines for them. Also, have a plan in place for what to do if one co-author needs longer to complete a draft than expected.
4. Editing. Editing is one of the most important parts of making your book the best it can be. Agree on the types of editing you will invest in, either the editors you will hire or at least the places you will seek them, and the timescale for editing to be complete.  
5. Pre-publication. After editing is complete, you should have a clear checklist of everything that needs to happen before publication. Things to consider include your book cover, formatting, uploading to book retailers, and having a system in place to track sales and revenue. 
6. Launch. Launching your book the right way is one of the major reasons it will either sink or swim. Think about the number of reviews you need to get and where you will get them from, if you will use any email marketing, if book promotion sites could help you at the time of launch, and if you will invest in paid marketing. 
7. Ongoing marketing. Too many authors overlook marketing beyond the launch period. This inevitably leads to a spike in sales at the start and then a big drop-off after. Think about how you and your co-author will market your book on an ongoing basis. Will you have ongoing paid ad campaigns? Will you use guest blogging? When would you decide that actively marketing this particular book is no longer worth it?

After you know what each stage of your project should look like, map it out. Consider using a project planning tool that syncs across devices so you and your co-author can work on the project together in real time. 

Step 3 – Divide up responsibilities 

Now that you know what your book project looks like on the whole, it’s time to get clear on exactly who will be responsible for what. 

It’s worth setting aside the time to have a dedicated, unrushed meeting with your coauthor to divide up tasks. 

It’s important to divide up both the writing of the book and also the other tasks needed to make it happen. 

When it comes to dividing up writing, you can take several approaches. If you’re writing nonfiction, you might decide to write alternate chapters. Or, one writer might be responsible for a chapter containing several sections, and the same for the other writer. Another approach is to both write each chapter but split it into sections.

For tasks outside of writing, successful division is down to both strengths and availabilities. Which coauthor has the best skillset for any given task? Who feels the most enthusiastic about carrying it out? Are there some tasks you will work on together, or will every task have a separate owner? 

This might not be the most exciting part of your book project, but you also can’t overlook it. Knowing exactly who will be doing what is crucial. 

Step 4 – Determine your budget 

Take the time to get clear with your co-author about the financial aspects of your book project before it begins. 

Every book will have a slightly different set of expenses, but some of the costs to plan for include:

• Editing. Investing in editing is one of the best uses of your book budget. After you know the type of editing you will need, get a feel for how much it will cost. Spend whatever it takes to get the quality you are looking for. 
• Book cover creation. Don’t skimp on your book cover! Having an attractive and genre-appropriate cover is vital. Check out book cover designers with similar books to yours in their portfolio. Compare costs and see who is available and interested. 
• Paid marketing. Decide how much you want to spend on paid marketing. This could include CPC ads, paid book promotion services, and influencer marketing. 
• Distribution. What is your plan for getting your book out there into the hands of readers? Do you intend to manually distribute it to different retailers, or will you use a paid distribution service? 
• Alternative format creation. How much will it cost to offer your book in different formats? For example, you might want to look into audiobook costs or hardcover printing services. 

Having a clear budget is important as you can then calculate how many sales you will need to break even and eventually make your book profitable. 

Step 5 – Choose your writing tools

While it’s not essential to both use the same apps and software, it sure helps. 

It can be frustrating if one author is writing on Pages, for example, and another is using Google Docs. While there’s always a way to convert file types, it’s often a lot smoother to stick to one. 

To help version control, you should make sure you and your co-author know exactly which documents to work on at any given time. 

Make use of the Cloud to collaborate with your co-author. Using Google Drive can be a great way to seamlessly share files and notify each other when changes occur. 

Don’t spend too long on this step! There are lots of different options that can work well. Just get in alignment on which you will use from the start and make sure both authors are comfortable and confident in using them. 

Step 6 – Establish a communications cadence

A lot of writers like to go into a deep state of focus while working. A certain amount of solitude can be very conducive to the writing process. But this is only possible if you know exactly when and how you will communicate with your co-author.

This is one of the fastest ways to feel frustrated with the project. If one co-author feels the other is either over or under communicating it can be very annoying.

So what are some of the things to get clear on before the project is in full swing?

• Frequency. Will you check in with each other daily or less often? Under what circumstances should you reach out to your co-author if something crops up? How soon do you expect each other to reply?

• Medium. Will you use a chat app like Slack to talk, or will email suffice? Do you need to have a regular Zoom call? Would it be advantageous to meet up in person from time to time throughout the project?

• Content. What type of communication do you expect to engage in? Will you have a formal structure for your meetings, or simply see what needs to be discussed at any given time?

Don’t be afraid to adjust this cadence as your project progresses. But having shared expectations in place from the start is essential.  

Step 7 – Consider Future Projects

Although it might feel like looking too far ahead, it’s never too early to start considering potential future projects!

If you plan on co-authoring a series, either fiction or nonfiction, this is a step you can’t overlook. But it’s worth thinking about even if you don’t intend to release a series at this stage.

What kind of results would make you consider this book a success? How will you assess its performance? What lessons do you want to take from the experience of writing it? 

Don’t let your ideas for the future distract you from your focus in the present, but keep them in the back of your mind. 

Are you ready to become a co-author?

Congratulations! You now have all the information you need to successfully co-author a book. 

It’s time to take action and make it happen. If you’ve made it this far, why not brainstorm a list of book topics you would love to co-author? Or how about taking the time to reach out to five potential collaborators? 

There’s nothing more exciting than embarking on a new book project, and we wish you every success with yours!