1) Read! A frequently heard sentence in writing seminars is “I haven’t read since I became an author. I don’t want to be influenced too much by others!” But if you want to know how successful writing works best, cheat. And not with copy and paste – rather see which texts of your favorite writers make you absolutely smitten and why. What do you like to read, where does your heart go? If you like a certain character constellation or a particularly exciting setting, think about why that is – and incorporate it into your next text. If you were particularly moved by a scene, use the means with which the author pressed your tears.
2) Never leave the house without a notepad! Ideas come when you want them – and not always in the right order. Be prepared – jot down whatever comes to mind right away. You will see: You will soon have a whole bouquet of great ideas that will also help you when the flow of writing falters.
3) Make a plan. Some writers reserve an entire wall in their home for their story. There they collect everything about the exposition, the tension building, the characters, surprising twists and the ending. You don’t have to go that far if you don’t have the space – even a simple Word document can become a collection box. Writing down how things are going is immensely important: The best thing that can happen to us when writing is a well thought-out exposé! In it, you should make the course of your story so clear that you are less likely to falter later on. Sure, it can happen that the characters become independent in between when we are in the flow, but honestly: You will then be much less likely to have a crisis in the middle of the action of your own crime novel,
4) Observe the rules! Especially those who want to write genre literature – that is, what is in piles in the bookshop: historical novels, crime novels, thrillers, romance novels – should know their competition and the rules of the respective genre. A romance novel has a happy ending, in a crime novel people die. If you don’t follow these basic rules, don’t be surprised if nobody is interested in your manuscript. Read the books that are currently particularly successful. Are you disappointed when the murderer is not found in the detective story? Check – then do it better in your novel! Do you particularly like the clumsy heroine in a romantic comedy? Ask yourself why this is and what you can learn from it. Does the thriller keep you awake? If he’s more likely to put you to sleep – think about what you could do better…
5) Bring your text to life: use speaking verbs! If you want to know how that feels, read Stephen King – he’s a master at it. Don’t be scrupulous when it comes to feelings: address at least three senses in every scene and think about which images and comparisons you can use to take the reader into your world. Decompose long sentences and try to use as few adjectives as possible. Eliminate filler words and don’t use too many nouns. And remember: Every single chapter should follow an arc of suspense – not just the novel as a whole!
6) Write, read, revise, repeat! First of all, without paying attention to spelling and beauty. Don’t be disturbed. For this creative brain work, it is of the utmost importance to work in one go. Only then will you find the right flow to bring the characters and the story to life. Then leave the text for a while, read it again carefully and make comments. Finally comes the step that is just as important as the writing itself: editing.
7) Believe in yourself and in your story. Writing is an uphill battle that you fight with yourself first. There will be moments along the way when you want to bite the keyboard or fire the pen in the corner. If your story and the characters are important to you and you want to write: Don’t lose heart!
Mistakes you should absolutely avoid
1) Sell first, write later. Beginners in particular often think about the wages of the work before the text is finished. It’s about which publisher or agency comes into question before they’ve even written a line. Maybe it’s because we know so many success stories à la JK Rowling, who became rich and famous with Harry Potter. If you are really driven by passion, success is of secondary importance – the text needs to be written, the story needs to be told. And that’s a good thing – because things that we do with passion often have the greatest success.
2) Write first, then plot. First, consider the flow of the plot. What happens when and why? Then ask what the conflict is that drives the story—and who is fighting it: who is your hero? What is his goal? And what is opposed to this goal? Only when you can answer these three questions clearly should you get started: with developing the concept. Write down the entire storyline, including any twists and turns and the story’s resolution. And give it to someone who will tell you if they find the story interesting – and if possible, why. It’s almost more helpful to hear why it’s not exciting – and at which points. Because then you can make the course of action watertight and have a red thread,
3) Ignore the rules. Dramaturgy is a tedious business. First-time writers in particular therefore feel that it is much more creative to ignore all the rules and not burden themselves with conflict, hero’s journey, character development, three-act structure, suspense building and catharsis. But if you want to break the rules, you should know them well. Otherwise there will be chaos. So gather together everything you can find in the way of knowledge about dramaturgy. And remember what Edison said: “Genius is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.” Plenty of famous authors have toiled like this, so you’re in good company!
4) Be satisfied too quickly. Yes, you are genius and everything that comes out of your pen is perfect. That’s why you send your text immediately to a publisher or post it on a platform without having it evaluated by test readers and without revising it several times. Don’t let your writing baby get away with this kind of neglect—because the editing is just as important as the writing itself. Find your critics. Rewrite, improve. Get to work!
Aid that is guaranteed to cost nothing and bring a lot
1) Writing buddy. Find someone to get in the ring with you when it comes to texts. It shouldn’t be mom or your sweetheart – they tend to think everything’s great and clap their hands enthusiastically if you can manage even a straight sentence. You might find someone you get on well with in a writing class – or in a writing forum on the internet. The best thing is that something like this is based on reciprocity – and if things go well, that can become a friendship for life.
2) Pomodoro app. Do you constantly feel distracted because all of a sudden there is a meter of dust everywhere, the card to your great-aunt is overdue and the angora sweaters are crying out for a hand wash? If your mind keeps drifting away to everyday tasks, then download this free app – it helps us to find focus and work concentrated. In the app, an alarm clock starts at twenty-five minutes. During this time, you stay with the text, after which a five-minute break is heralded. This break is followed by another work phase of 25 minutes. After a total of four work phases with short breaks (that’s two hours), you get a quarter of an hour off. Amazingly effective!
3) Go back to the library. Do you want to find suggestions and be up to date on what the competition is doing, but don’t have any money? You don’t have to buy the books right away: there’s still the good old city library. Head to your local library for an hour and just browse the shelves. Get stuck in the blurbs, peruse the opening chapters, and consider why you would continue reading—and why not.
4) You will find further tips for writing and the exchange that you need in such a lonely job. Go to regulars’ tables such as Pub’n’Pub, the open publishers’ regulars’ table that now exists in Berlin, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Hamburg, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich and Munster, as well as in many places in other countries ( http://pubnpub.com / ). Go to authors’ get-togethers – be it virtual or in the old-fashioned analogue way: The Federal Association of Young Authors eV organizes author get-togethers for many different cities and announces its dates on Facebook. Who knows – maybe your writing buddy, crucial tips and lots of sparks of inspiration are waiting for you?
5) Browse publisher sites. Most publishers are now putting their upcoming program online – here you can find out about new trends free of charge and see which topics are particularly important. A six-page preview of a mystery thriller is announced by your favorite publisher? If you have a manuscript with a similar plot lined up, now might be the time to send it to that very publisher!
6) Create writing rituals. A good help is to write every day in a fixed place at a fixed time – for at least a quarter of an hour. It doesn’t matter whether this is before the children invade the breakfast table in the morning like a hungry swarm of sparrows – or at a fixed time in the evening, when the hustle and bustle of the day is slowly calming down. It should just be regular. Find a quiet place where you feel comfortable. Your ritual can include putting on your comfortable sweatpants, making yourself a cup of your favorite tea, and turning on soft music—anything that keeps you focused and comfortable. Get in the mood for writing!
1) Just start writing. Let your thoughts run free. Nothing has to arise. You can write about your best day experience in school essay style, illuminate your room in all details or whatever else comes to your mind. It might turn into something—a short essay, a Kafkaesque story about someone becoming a butterfly in your room—or nothing. The important thing is that you write. You’ll see – sooner or later the momentum and the ideas for the actual story will come back.
2) Practice serenity. Go for a walk or a bike ride. Knit, sip a glass of prosecco or read your favorite book. It is forbidden to ponder specifically about your text. Movement and distraction, especially when we find ourselves in a dead end at work, often bring us the longed-for flash of inspiration!
3) Set an alarm clock. We only get into the famous flow when writing when our brain is fully focused on a task. Scientists have found that it takes around 15 minutes for the flow to even occur. If we are interrupted beforehand, we have no chance of getting into the longed-for state in which we develop ideas in a frenzy and the letters flow into the computer – in which it just runs. Set an alarm for half an hour when you’re doing nothing but writing – or use the Pomodoro app to set the rhythm and make sure you stay on track and take regular breaks in between to relax the brain.
4) Ask your characters. When you get stuck with your story, it’s best to turn to the characters. Complete the character sketch of a minor character who is still a bit pale in the current chapter. Or conduct a written interview with your protagonist. Ask him the questions that make life difficult for you. And also some that go beyond that, for example: What do you like about yourself? Why are you scared right now? Why are you in love with your partner? What do you long for the most? What would you change in your life if you could? The characters ultimately drive the story forward – and they can be the key when the plot falters.
5) Get in the ring with someone. Find a sparring partner for your story. In the best case, this is someone who also writes. Read each other’s texts – and talk to each other about the structure of the story and logical errors. We often think about certain actions in our heads instead of writing them down on paper. Or we missed a problem. Remember to first tell the other person what you liked about their text, and then offer respectful and constructive criticism. Make suggestions to each other. It’s often easier to plot together – because you use two heads at the same time.
6) Look for the tick in the plot. Review what you have written, writing down any questions that come to mind. What exactly is it that is making your writing life difficult right now? It’s much easier to find solutions when you can clearly identify the problem.
5 golden rules for exposé
1) Contact the correct address. Does your book fit the publisher or agency you are contacting? If so, please mention this briefly in the cover letter. If not, save the postage. A publisher that has never published poetry will not publish your book of poetry, even if your rhymes rock.
2) Keep it simple. An editor or agent hardly has time – mountains of manuscripts are piling up on his desk. Write simply and in clear, understandable sentences.
3) Send the all-round feel-good package. Make your exposé clear, not too fussy, but serious. Write your name, address and title on a cover sheet. The classification of your work belongs on the second page: the genre, comparative title, scope and a short promotional text that arouses curiosity about the content. You can spend some time on this short text – it should explain the basic conflict: who is your main character, what does she want and what stands in the way? Cheat on blurbs, these are often written in a similar pattern. The exposé should also contain a longer content text that contains the entire story including all surprising twists and the ending (maximum 3 pages) – optionally also character sketches of a maximum of 3-4 important characters. Finally, explain in the vita why you are the perfect author of the story: If it is a family novel with a dog, you are welcome to mention your own barker. If the novel takes place in Sicily because you lived there for ten years, write that! And if it’s a thriller where the protagonist is a medical examiner like you – then you should definitely mention that in the bio.
4) Show how important your synopsis is to you. Have it proofread. Enclose a cover letter in which you briefly (!) explain your request. Make sure that the synopsis contains neither coffee stains nor spelling mistakes.
5) Have patience. It can take a long time before you receive an answer – publishers often no longer send rejection letters at all and ask that you refrain from making inquiries. After about four months, you can assume that your project has not generated any interest – and should look for another option. Revise it again, become a self-publisher, post it on platforms like to find an agent or a publisher. After all, a rejection does not necessarily mean that your book is bad, but can also mean that it does not fit into the publishing program. So don’t give up!
