This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Emma Hannigan started writing for catharsis while she was being treated for cancer. Since then she has had numerous bestselling novels with her latest, The Heart of Winter, out now.
1. ‘Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.’ Oscar Wilde was wise when he said this. Use your own voice, as that’s what makes you unique.
2. Work hard. Nobody else can write your book for you. Nothing substitutes hard work!
3. Read, read, read. It would be impossible to bake a great cake without knowing what it’s meant to taste like, right? So don’t try to write a book if you don’t read other people’s work.
4. Know what you’re talking about – there’s nothing more frustrating than reading a book and knowing the facts are wrong. When writing, we have to assume the reader is more intelligent than we are!
5. Enjoy the process. There is no point in writing if you don’t love it. Emotions come across in books and if the author is labouring over the story or plot, it shows.