I thought I’d use this week’s blog to recommend some of the tips, tricks, and aids I use in writing. I’m not talking about development edits etc. Those you gotta shell out some serious cash for. Instead, these are accessible, easy ways to boost your ability to get thoughts out of your head and into black and white.

The first is one you may already use yourself – music. It’s true that coming up with a playlist for your WIP can be a way to avoid writing when you don’t feel inspired, but even choosing a set list puts your brain in the right place to actually start writing. A background of music that fits the mood you’re trying to create with words can be transformational. This week I’ve had Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets on repeat since it’s exactly the vibe the dark moments of Act Three need.

When you’re trying to express emotion a character is feeling by showing and not telling, try the Emotion Thesaurus by Ackerman and Puglisi. This is where I go when I want to use body language and facial expressions to describe what a character is experiencing. Say your character is in a moment of extreme anguish and you don’t want them to be chewing the scenery, but you want to show that in a relatable way. This books helps with the subtle and not to subtle signs. One of the signs of anguish you might not think of is not eating or drinking. As a person who has sat in an ICU room for a week feeling the utter terror and anguish of a loved one dying, yeah, you don’t eat or drink. If you’ve never been through that, you might not know. This is where this book is helpful.

Comp Titles. Read books like the one you’re writing. This is especially important if you’re writing genre fiction. When pitching your book, you’re going to be asked for comparable titles so the agent/publisher knows what sort of book your submitting. It’s also a good idea to be familiar with what your genre’s tropes are, what your reader’s expectations might be. If you want to write Contemporary Romance, read some! Get used to the beats of your particular type of fiction. You are more than welcome to deviate from these if your story calls for it, but if you struggle with plots, this is a good way to get a better grip on story arcs. Read the good stuff though, and don’t trust TikTok for book recommendations (Sorry booktok). Far too many accounts on there are promoting stuff to get paid, not because they actually love it.

The Snowflake Method (and it’s friends). There are dozens of novel-writing methods available a quick Google search away. One of the best is the Snowflake Method. But there are many that are free. And hit the library. There are great books on writing, On Writing by Stephen King, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamont, The Elements of Style By William Strunk and E.B. White – a classic.

Myself, I used the Emotion Thesaurus this week and of course, the ever-useful Google. Seriously, you have a question, type it in and see what you get. Just remember that it’s better to have at least two sources, with some cred, telling you the same thing when you go hunting up truth on the internet. I used to say check out Twitter for a healthy writing community dispensing advice, but X has crushed that under it’s heel. You could try checking out other platforms, especially if you write in a niche sub genre.

Sincere good luck to all of us wielding pens (or keyboards).