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For the longest time, I believed writing a story was a straightforward, linear process. I thought I had to start at the beginning and march steadily toward the end without looking back.
Whenever I felt the urge to revisit and revise earlier parts, I resisted, thinking it would only hold me up. But as I progressed in my writing journey, I realized I was missing out on a valuable opportunity to ensure my story had a solid foundation.
Eventually, I hit a wall while working on a particularly challenging piece. The plot wasn’t coming together, and my characters felt flat. Frustrated, I decided to step back and review what I had written.
As I combed through the earlier pages, I discovered inconsistencies and underdeveloped ideas that were holding my story back. By taking the time to revise these sections, I not only strengthened the overall narrative but also gained a renewed sense of direction and motivation.
This experience taught me the importance of flexibility in the writing process. Since then, I’ve adopted several writing hacks that have significantly improved my workflow and helped me produce better work faster.
To be clear—I’m not trying to make writing sound like an industrial process where the goal is to create something merely functional in record time. But the most challenging part of writing is producing the first draft. Once you have raw material to work with, shaping it and moving toward a final product become much simpler.
Here are some of the most effective writing hacks that can transform your creative process, get you past that awkward drafting stage, and make revising and reaching your writing goals easier.
Don’t Be Afraid to Backtrack
One of the biggest misconceptions in writing is that progress only happens when you’re moving forward. But sometimes, the best thing you can do for your story is to take a step back. Revisiting and revising previous parts of your work isn’t a sign of failure; it’s an essential part of the creative process.
After all, revision is where the magic happens. It’s your opportunity to refine your characters, tighten your plot, and polish your prose. When you backtrack, you can catch inconsistencies, deepen character development, and ensure every scene serves a purpose. Remember, the first draft is just the beginning. Don’t hesitate to dive into earlier chapters or scenes to strengthen your story.
Reviewing your work during the process lets you reflect on your writing. Are there scenes that don’t quite fit? Characters that need more depth? By reworking these elements, you can create a more cohesive and compelling narrative. Changing your mind about a plot point or character arc is okay. Writing is an iterative process; every revision brings you closer to your best work.
Read Your Work Out Loud
Reading your work out loud is one of the most effective editing techniques. It allows you to hear the rhythm and flow of your sentences, making it easier to identify clunky language and unnecessary words.
Cut the Fat
When you read aloud, you’ll notice words and phrases that don’t contribute to the story. Clunky sentences, redundant descriptions, and awkward dialogue become more apparent. You can create a leaner, more impactful narrative by trimming these elements.
Enhance Clarity
Hearing your words spoken can also highlight issues with clarity. If a sentence doesn’t make sense when read aloud, it likely won’t make sense to your readers either. Use this technique to ensure your prose is clear, concise, and engaging.
Hear the Sound of Your Own Voice
As you read your work out loud, you might discover places where the prose really doesn’t sound like you at all—sometimes laughably so. This is where you can rethink your writing voice and make your work more consistent with your writing style.
End Your Work in the Middle of a Sentence
It might sound counterintuitive, but stopping your writing session in the middle of a sentence or when things are going well can be a game-changer. This technique keeps the momentum going and makes picking up where you left off easier.
When you end your writing session in the middle of an exciting scene or a crucial sentence, you’ll be eager to get back to it. This anticipation can help you overcome the inertia of starting a new session. Instead of staring at a blank page, you’ll dive right back into the action.
Stopping when things are going well also prevents burnout. It ensures you always have something to look forward to, keeping your energy and enthusiasm high. Returning to a project is much easier when you’re excited about what happens next.
Reward Yourself
Writing can be a solitary and demanding endeavor, so rewarding yourself for the hard work you’re putting in is essential. Establishing a reward system can motivate you and make the process more enjoyable.
Set Milestones
Break your project into smaller milestones and celebrate when you reach them. Whether it’s finishing a chapter, hitting a word count goal, or completing a challenging scene, each achievement deserves recognition.
Choose Meaningful Rewards
Your rewards don’t have to be extravagant. They can be as simple as a favorite treat (don’t overload on sugar, caffeine, or stuff that’s technically bad for you!), a relaxing break, or a fun activity. The key is to choose rewards that are meaningful to you and provide a genuine sense of satisfaction.
Rewarding yourself reinforces positive behavior and creates a more enjoyable writing experience. It reminds you that your hard work is paying off and that progress, no matter how small, is worth celebrating.
Grab The Ultimate Writing Project Workbook for More Writing Hacks
The Ultimate Writing Project Workbook is designed to help writers unlock new ways of thinking about their craft, understand their audience, and explore the elements of storytelling that resonate with readers.
This FREE workbook contains writing tips, templates, instructions, worksheets, and other tools to help you stop feeling stuck on your current project and start reaching your full creative potential so you can impact and inspire readers.
Ready to transform your writing process? Download The Ultimate Writing Project Workbook today and start creating captivating stories.