Top 10 Writing Tips from Famous Authors

• Jul 28, 2025
• 6 min read

• Tags: Book Writing, Fiction Writing, Novel Writing, Writers, Writing Tips

Do you want to write a manuscript that you can refer to as your magnum opus?

Do you have a book idea, but need a little extra motivation to get started?

All famous writers started off clueless, but focus and dedication helped them reach great heights. Many of them have dispensed invaluable advice to aspiring writers to get them started on their writing journey. Here are some of the top writing tips from famous authors to get you going!

1. Just get started!

The most important thing to do as a writer is to just get started! Whether you have a grand idea or just the seedling of a plot, the first thing you must do is get it on paper.

Toni Morrison famously said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Maya Angelou follows up with a similar sentiment with her quote, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”

Franz Kafka was a little more explicit when he said, “A non-writing writer is a monster courting insanity.” So maybe it’s time to hit the pages, for your own good!

2. The importance of persistence

While it’s great to have inspiration strike you out of the blue, the muses may not always favour you when you most need them! Nevertheless, it’s important to remain dedicated to writing, and eventually, inspiration will come naturally!

In the words of Isabel Allende, “Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too.”

Natalie Goldberg also expressed her thoughts on the matter in a sweet and simple way: “Keep your hand moving.”

3. Stay true to yourself

No two authors are quite the same. It’s important to find your own unique voice and write about what is important to you—imitating another’s style, no matter how admirable it may be, robs you of the opportunity to present the world with your unique story. 

Here’s what some famous authors have had to say about authenticity:

Only you know what means so much to you that it simply has to be put down on paper. Ernest Hemingway could not have been more right when he said, “Write clear and hard about what hurts.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, the master of fantasy, said, “Let your interests drive your writing.” You are unique, as are your interests, and writing about what makes you tick is the best way to get your imagination going and produce a work that’s true to you!

4. Keep a writer’s notebook

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you’re doing something mundane but end up having a great idea for a book, or a wave of genius hits you in your sleep, but since you don’t have any paper handy, it’s forgotten within minutes?

Will Self proposes a simple and effective way to retain your best ideas: “Always carry a notebook. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper, you can lose an idea forever.” 

5. How to deal with writer’s block

Have you ever had moments when you’ve felt stuck, unable to think of the next sentence, or simply unable to come up with something to write about, no matter how badly you might want to?

Never fear, for the literary greats have some excellent advice on how to combat writer’s block!

The best way to get your imagination going when you’re stuck is to read, read, read! Virginia Woolf, one of the stalwarts of the twentieth century, said, “Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.”

Ernest Hemingway also famously said, “The first draft of anything is shit.” It doesn’t matter how your work looks on the page—perfection comes with time—the most important thing is to just get it out!

Jack London summed it up nicely when he said, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” Basically, don’t wait for the muses to find you—you’ve got to chase them yourself!

6. Be concise and use the right words

While it might seem tempting to use flowery language and describe a scene or character in great detail, most great writers advise the opposite. Using a few words to get to the point is the most effective way to communicate with your audience. 

In the words of George Orwell, who, in addition to his excellent novels, also wrote a manual on effective writing and editing, “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.”

Mark Twain also made a case for choosing words carefully when he said, “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is … the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

Stephen King put a humorous spin on the dangers of being too wordy when he said, “The road to hell is paved with adverbs.”

7. Don’t plan too far ahead

It is tempting to build castles in the air, thinking of all the great books you’re going to write, and perhaps outlining them well in advance. However, this could potentially put you in the wrong frame of mind to work on your current project. 

Having certain preconceived notions about yourself as a writer could prevent you from letting the words truly flow in your current manuscript because you’re trying too hard to live up to an ideal that hasn’t even happened yet. Makes sense? Henry Miller put it very simply when he said, “Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing.”

8. On writing realistic dialogue

Many writers struggle with dialogue—what may look impactful on paper may not always be realistic, and could end up making the reader cringe. Nobel laureate John Steinbeck has a practical solution for this: “If you’re using dialogue, say it aloud as you write it. Only then will it have the sound of speech.”

Elmore Leonard appears to concur with Steinbeck in his advice, “If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.”

9. On planning or winging the ending

Most writers meticulously plan out their plot before they even begin writing. It is automatically assumed that it would make sense to plan out the ending as well and structure the preceding events accordingly. Right? Wrong! According to Rose Tremain, “In the planning stage of a book, don’t plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it.” 

10. How to write effectively

Finally, the most important task that befalls a writer is to write well. As obvious as it might seem, it is not always easy to find the best way to put down the scene that seems so perfectly built in your head.

Here’s what some great writers have to say about how to build a scene effectively:

Anton Chekhov, the master of the Russian short story, was speaking from experience when he said, “Show, don’t tell.” No audience likes to be spoon-fed—an intelligent reader can read between the lines and derive their understanding of the author’s meaning. It’s important not to tell your reader what to think, unless you want to put them off.

William Wordsworth was true to form when he dispensed this poetic piece of advice: “Fill the paper with the breathings of your heart.” Write what you feel, write what is true. There is nobody who knows your story better than you.

To sum it up, writing isn’t an easy business, but it can be rewarding when done regularly, persistently, and from the heart! We wish you the very best with your writing journey!

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Tanvi

With a foundation in Life Sciences, Tanvi enjoys curating technical writing tips tailored for ESL students. When she's not translating complex concepts into bite-sized nuggets, she can be found playing with dogs or painting landscapes.