This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author and essayist living in Los Angeles. She recently signed a two book deal with Atria/Simon & Schuster, the first of which, Forever, Interrupted, is out now. If you’re looking for writing advice from Taylor Jenkins Reid, she shares 5 top tips below.
1. Think of your book as being for the reader instead of for yourself.
Writing as therapy has a place, but it is therapy. Writing for the reader is creating entertainment.
2. First drafts are always awful.
If you refuse to put anything on the page unless it’s golden, you won’t get anywhere.
3. Write a certain amount of words at regular intervals.
Don’t judge yourself by how long you worked, judge yourself by how productive you are.
4. Know when to listen to other people.
No book is complete without the input of many, many people. You won’t see what’s working and not working about your book until you see it through someone else’s eyes.
5. Know when to let go.
Your book is never going to be perfect. Nothing is. You just have to get to a place where you believe it is the best you can make it and then give up on it. Otherwise, you will never feel you are truly done.