Writing Advice From A New York Times Best Selling Author | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

6 Pieces of Writing Advice From A New York Times Best Selling Author That Every Writer Needs To Hear

Nobody ever said writing was the easiest profession.

1331
Lily Cooper
Lily Cooper

It's almost always required for an English Literature major to love writing and reading. It's in our blood and soul to devour a novel at midnight even if we have to wake up early the next morning. We're wired to have to write on every surface imaginable: journal, notebook, computer, and walls.

Nobody ever said writing was the easiest profession though. We are literally making something, out of nothing, and putting it all into words for others to understand and dissect. Without writing, the world would be a dark and gloomy place.

Recently, my best friend Katryna and I went to see my all-time favorite author Colleen Hoover at a signing in Tempe, Arizona at Changing Hands Bookstore. She was brilliant, hilarious, and offered all of us aspiring writers some great advice. Here are the top 6 that every writer needs to hear:

1. Write because you have to get a story out.

Giphy

As a writer, we all have stories swimming around in our brains. There are so many ideas, we don't have time to write even half of them. Hoover suggested to just write to get the story out. Don't write for an audience or a specific reason, just write it all out. Worry about the rest later.

2. Don't write to get famous.

Giphy

Obviously, it would be cool to publish a book right away and immediately get popular. Unfortunately, that usually doesn't happen. Being a writer is tough, and gaining a huge following takes its time. Don't start writing to just get famous. Write because you have to. Because you need to. Because you might explode if you don't put pen to paper.

And if you write from the heart, the rest will follow.

3. Let the characters pull you around.

Giphy

"I planned for Will to work at a grocery store. I was just as shocked as Layken when she walked into the school and saw him." Hoover said about writing her first book "Slammed." She says that she lets the characters move her around and steer the story. And many times, they surprise her.

4. Don't force yourself to write.

Giphy

We have all been there. Those days where we spent three hours pounding our head against the keyboard because we can only get two words out. We know the end game with the story, but the rest? Not so much.

Hoover says if you don't feel like it, don't do it. Go for a few days or weeks without writing. Once that urge to write again comes back, it will come in full force. Don't worry if you don't have anything to say one day. The next you might have a whole ten chapters to say.

5. Don't try to write what is popular.

Giphy

When the Hunger Games came out, a huge wave of dystopian books became popular and rose to the top of the list. The same happened with Adult coloring books and poetry. Right now, books based on diversity are being largely published and rising to the top of the charts.

It may be tempting to all of the sudden write what is popular now, for the sake of getting out there, but Hoover says that is not the answer.

"By the time you get what is popular published, it will be out and something else will be in."

So just stick with writing what you love.

6. Look at what's around you.

Giphy

"I got the idea for Ugly love because I looked at a bridge and wondered what would happen if a car drove off it."

Sometimes inspiration can come from the weirdest places. It can be an old journal, something your friend said, or a place. Literally, anything is on the table. Just keep your eyes and ears open to the world around you and have a notebook to write it all down.

It was lovely to meet Colleen Hoover and pick her brain on writing. I remember discovering her books at work as I shelved books in the 'H' section. From reading "Slammed" to dying at "Maybe Someday," and loving "Without Merit," Hoover has some amazing works up her sleeve. I hope I can be successful like her someday.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

190778
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

15206
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

458086
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

26745
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments