General Advice for Fiction Writing
Kirsty Schumacher
8/10/20264 min read
Writing fiction can feel like chasing something invisible. Some days words pour out effortlessly. Other days, every sentence feels like pulling teeth. If you've ever waited for the "perfect idea" before beginning, you're certainly not alone.
The truth, however, is that stories are rarely found by waiting. They are found by writing.
What Makes Great Fiction?
At it's heart, good fiction offers readers two simple gifts:
An emotional experience that is richer than ordinary life
A fiction dream world that readers can disappear into.
Readers don't remember books because every sentence was technically flawless. They remember how a story made them feel. They remember the characters they loved, the worlds they explored, and the emotions they experienced.
When you're writing, your primary goal isn't perfection - it's creating an experience.
Follow Your Instincts
One of the biggest mistakes aspiring writers make is believing they need to know the entire plot before they begin.
Instead, pay attention to what naturally appears in your imagination.
Perhaps it's:
an interesting character,
a vivid image,
an unusual conversation,
or simply one sentence that won't leave you alone.
Write it down.
Don't worry if it doesn't yet fit into a complete story. Stories often reveal themselves piece by piece. Trust that if you keep following your curiosity, connections will eventually emerge.
Sometimes the story follows the writing - not the other way around.
Image → Character → Scene → Story
Don't Wait for Inspiration
The famous writer Jack London once said:
"You cannot wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
It's funny because it's true.
Many people imagine professional authors sitting around waiting for inspiration to strike like lightning. In reality, most successful writers develop a habit of writing whether they feel inspired or not.
Ironically, inspiration often arrives after you've started writing - not before.
Write Before You Think
Planning has its place. Editing has its place. But neither belongs in the first draft.
Your first responsibility is simply to discover what's inside you.
Try writing before you analyse.
Allow surprising ideas to emerge before your logical brain has the chance to dismiss them. Your imagination works best when it isn't constantly being interrupted by an internal critic.
Let the Story Wander
Many writers become anxious when their story begins moving in an unexpected direction.
A side character suddenly becomes more interesting. The ending changes. A completely new subplot appears.
That's okay.
Don't resist where the creative process wants to take you. You can always reshape the story during editing.
First drafts are for exploration. Later drafts are for refinement.
Think of your first draft as gathering clay before you begin sculpting.
Imagination Needs Boundaries
Writing creatively doesn't mean writing without structure. Paradoxically, imagination often flourishes within constraints.
Characters need believable motivations. Worlds need consistency. Plots need cause and effect.
Even fantasy follows rules - it simply follows its own rules.
Creativity isn't the absence of structure. It's learning how to create freely inside a framework.
Build a Writing Habit
Writing is much more about consistency than intensity. Instead of waiting for long weekends or rare bursts of motivation, aim to write every day.
A manageable target is around 200-300 words daily. That might not sound like much. But over a year, that simple habit could produce an entire novel! Small progress compounds surprisingly quickly.
Don't Edit Too Soon
One of the quickest ways to stall your progress is constantly editing yesterday's work.
Instead, try writing between 2,000 and 4,000 words before going back to revise. Then write another substantial section before editing again.
This allows your creative brain and your analytical brain to work separately instead of competing for attention.
Think of writing and editing as two different jobs. Don't ask yourself to perform both at the same time.
Forget "Good" or "Bad"
Perhaps the most freeing mindset a writer can adopt is this: Don't ask whether your writing is good or bad. Ask whether it's effective.
Does the scene create tension? Does the dialogue sound believable? Does the ending evoke the emotion you intended?
Effectiveness can always be improved.
Calling your writing "bad" usually shuts down creativity before you've given yourself the chance to grow. Every draft is simply another step toward making your story work.
Final Thoughts
Stories aren't discovered by waiting for perfect ideas or flawless first drafts. They emerge through consistent effort, curiosity, and the willingness to let imagination lead before judgement steps in.
So stop waiting.
Open the document.
Write the sentence.
Then write the next one.
You never know where they story might take you.
kirsty writes
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