Posted on Jan 26, 2026
How to Write Better: 7 Ways to Build Your Writing Muscles
Loretta Bushell
Loretta is a writer at Reedsy who covers all things craft and publishing. A German-to-English translator, she specializes in content about literary translation and making a living as a freelancer.
View profile →Writing is like running: it gets easier the more you train. But serious runners don’t just run; they also do stretches, strength and conditioning, and cross-training. As writers, we can also improve our writing skills by increasing the time we spend writing and completing other related exercises.
In this post, I’ll share 7 practices that have helped me become a better writer, along with specific exercises you can try today to move one step closer to your goals. Let’s dive in.
1. Establish a regular writing routine
I don’t need to tell you that practice makes progress. You already know you need to write more, but it’s easier said than done. There’s always some household chore, family obligation, or even TV show that feels more urgent. But if you’re serious about writing (or running), you have to go out of your way to make time for it.
The trick is changing your mindset. Starting today, tell yourself that writing is a non-negotiable commitment, on par with going to work, eating dinner, and brushing your teeth. Schedule a set time in your day (or week) for writing and honor it even when you don’t feel like it. Pushing through on tough days is what separates serious athletes and writers from hobbyists.
Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.
~ Stephen King, On Writing
Remember that you don’t have to work on your current masterpiece every session. Creative writing exercises can push you outside your comfort zone and expand your repertoire. On days when you face writer's block, just try to get something down on the page, even if it’s a simple account of your day or a silly short story. You’ll still be exercising your writing muscles and honing your craft.
Q: How can writing short fiction help aspiring novelists develop their writing skills?
Suggested answer
Short fiction and novels demand different approaches from the writer. While the former generally prizes brevity, delivery, and brief portraiture or still life, the novel favours plot, abundant detail, and characterization – in other words, the novel involves some level of world building that short fiction simply cannot accomplish. Perhaps this helps explain why writers like Toni Morrison and Cormac McCarthy stuck to writing novels but only ever published one short story each, while a writer like Alice Munro only ever wrote short fiction. Her southern Ontario setting that occupied so much of her fiction was not established through a single work but instead over multiple.
The question remains then: why should an aspiring novelist try writing short fiction if it requires a different approach (if not different skills)? For starters, regardless of your preferred mode, writing requires practice but sometimes the breadth and complexity of a novel is not the right format to stretch your writing muscles. Whether you intend to publish or not, short fiction can be the ideal experimental space for testing voice, style, themes, and settings in a way that provides a fresh perspective not only on the stories you wish to tell but on the language with which you aim to tell it. Short fiction's shorter word count can give an aspiring novelist a healthy appreciation of pace and brevity; viewing language as a finite resource forces you to pay attention to the finer details that constitute a “good” sentence or paragraph.
When I taught Creative Writing at York University, we did short writing activities like object description or still life that asked students to create a scene bereft of motion or dialogue (and in some cases, bereft of character as well). Rather than being concerned with the movement or trajectory of the plot, students were required to pause, take a breath, and see what they could produce in an imagined space where there was no action. What details emerged? What drew your eye? What language did you favour? These writing activities were meant to show students what they could accomplish in the space of a few hundred words, but it’s a perspective that I think aspiring novelists can also learn from. It can help writers gain control over their narrator’s wandering eye or demonstrate just how much can be written about a scene where nothing happens. These kinds of so-called “plotless” scenes or perspectives can help the novelist structure and balance a narrative arc, for example, or help them to appreciate the kind of world their characters exist in.
In summary, short fiction involves writing with restriction. While the aspiring novelist might find it more liberating to write without a self-imposed word count, it is precisely through short fiction that writers can come to appreciate important components for writing well that can transform a good novel into a great one.
Mitchell is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
It helps to have a clear goal. I recommend choosing a target word count rather than just a block of time. We’ve all had days where we've sat at the computer for an hour and got virtually nothing done. If you hit your target word count early, all the better — reward yourself with something fun, or keep going if you’re on a roll.
During the Reedsy Novel Sprint, we challenge members of our community to write 50,000 words of their book in November — that’s 1,667 words per day. If that feels too intense, start smaller. A goal of 300–500 words per writing session will still add up in the long run.
To give you the best chance of reaching your target word count, eliminate your distractions. Find a quiet space, tell your family not to disturb you, and silence your phone (or leave it in another room). If, like me, you’re prone to sneaking in a bit of Candy Crush, try a productivity app. My favorite is Forest: leave the app while your tree is growing and it dies, ruining your beautiful virtual ecosystem.
✍️ Try this
Make yourself a sticker chart or buy a calendar and tick off each day you meet your writing goal. Once you have a streak going, you’ll be more motivated not to break the chain. It’s the only reason I still have my 1,500-day Duolingo streak (despite not learning anything new in years)!
Q: What habits separate professional writers from aspiring ones?
Suggested answer
Professional writers treat their craft as both art and discipline. They write even when inspiration isn’t there, revising and refining instead of waiting for the perfect idea or mood. They finish what they start, pushing through doubt and distraction to deliver polished work on a schedule. They also seek and accept feedback, understanding that growth comes through critique, not avoidance. Instead of clinging to every word, they prioritize clarity, impact, and the reader’s experience. Above all, they build consistency—showing up at the page day after day—turning passion into practice. Aspiring writers dream; professionals do.
John is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
2. Read, read, read
Pro athletes don’t just train their bodies — they also study how top players move. For writers, the equivalent is reading. The more you expose yourself to books, the more varied your arsenal of vocabulary, sentence structures, and writing styles. I read every night before bed, but you can just as easily read on your commute, during lunch, or instead of watching TV.
If you’re already an avid reader, level up by learning to read critically — actively noticing what works, what doesn’t, and why. I used to struggle with this, but writing structured book reviews forced me to pay attention, helping me switch from subconsciously enjoying books to consciously learning from them.
Another active way to learn from reading is to mimic the style of writers you like. You mustn’t plagiarize in your published work, of course, but privately copying another author's style can help you get into their head. Eventually, you will naturally begin to blend your influences and discover your own unique voice.
✍️ Try this
Pick a fairy tale or a story you love and rewrite it in the style of your favorite author. For example:
It’s a small story really, about, among other things:
a girl
some magic words
a Prince
a pumpkin
some ugly stepsisters
and quite a lot of deception.
Can you guess which story and writer I’ve blended? It’s Disney’s Cinderella meets Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief.
Q: What's the best piece of writing advice for an author who wants to improve their craft?
Suggested answer
Join critique groups! These were invaluable to me when it I started writing and even taught me how to edit! Reading books will become dated with old advice, so stay up to date with blogs, trends, audiences, and read, read, read!
Stephanie is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Practice and read!
In the same way that you need to practice a musical instrument to get better, you need to do the same with writing too. Very few writers will publish the first book they ever write!
The other thing that will help you to improve your writing craft is reading. Read the books that are selling well in your genre right now, not just the bestsellers from a decade ago. Study them. Look at the reviews for these books and listen to what readers are saying.
There are loads of brilliant books that will help you to write an effective novel as well (Into the Woods by John Yorke, The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr, Story Genius by Lisa Cron and Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody are a few of my favourites). Even if you don't agree with everything they say (I don't necessarily agree with every piece of advice in the above!) it's so helpful to see a range of different perspectives. You'll also quickly be able to see the patterns and advice from these books in the bestsellers you read. There are also loads of podcasts, blog posts, YouTube videos and audiobooks out there too, as well as Reedsy's own masterclasses!
Siân is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Read, read, read. Whatever you're reading, it will help you improve your craft, and you'll grow more discerning as you keep writing and reading. Make sure, though, that at least some of what you're reading is contemporary--if all you're taking in was written in the 18th century, your prose/style is going to end up sounding dated and out of place to readers.
After reading, you just have to keep writing, 'Practice makes perfect' may not be entirely true when it comes to any art form (because perfection is, arguably, impossible in these areas), including writing, but practice does make for consistent improvement.
When you feel you're ready, finding a critique partner and exchanging feedback, or even slush reading for a journal or magazine, can also be incredible experiences that will improve your craft. These experiences take even more time and commitment to your craft, but they're a great way to see what other people are doing and learn more about your craft.
Jennifer is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
3. Study the “rules” of writing
You’ve seen good writing in action, but can you explain why it works? To deepen your understanding of the relationship between the author and reader, it helps to study the craft of writing — specifically, certain “rules” and “formulas” that supposedly separate good writing from bad. Ever heard of “Show don’t tell” or the Three-Act Structure?
Some rules are more widely accepted than others, but all of them can be broken for creative effect. (Think of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, which “forgets” quotation marks to blur dialogue and narration.) Nonetheless, it’s better to know the rules and choose when to break them than to break them by accident.
There are plenty of ways to learn writing theory. Here are some useful ideas and resources:
-
Read books about writing. Check out our top 40 recommendations and pick the one that speaks to you.
-
Take a writing course. At Reedsy, we have a range of free and paid online writing courses. If you’d prefer something in-person, feel free to search our directory of creative writing classes.
-
Browse writing blogs. To be honest, the blog you’re reading right now covers everything you need! But it never hurts to hear from more than one voice. Here are some of my favorite writing blogs.
-
Follow writing-related social media and YouTube channels. From Brandon Sanderson to Joanna “The Creative” Penn, many authors share their process online. (My colleagues Shaelin and Martin also produce some pretty captivating content over on Reedsy’s YouTube channel.)
✍️ Try this
Pick a writing rule and spend 5–10 minutes pushing it to the extreme. Write freely or use a random prompt, focusing solely on this rule — then repeat the exercise, deliberately breaking that rule. For example, write a page with no adverbs, then rewrite it using an adverb in every sentence. See what effect each version creates.
Now let’s dive a bit deeper into what you should be doing whenever you sit down to write.
4. Plan what you want to say
Every piece of writing has a purpose, whether it’s to persuade the reader, reveal backstory, or extract location updates from your teenager (sometimes the hardest of the three). You’ll write faster and more clearly if you know that purpose before you start.
I’m not saying you need a detailed outline. I’m a plotter myself, but I respect every author’s right to be a pantser. Still, you should be able to articulate the intention of your chapter. That focus will get you back on track whenever you start to waffle.
✍️ Try this
Before you write a chapter, short story, or essay, sum up your message in one line. What single most important thing do you want readers to take away? Write this on a Post-it and stick it somewhere visible to remind yourself of your focus.
Q: How detailed should a novel outline be?
Suggested answer
This is a tough question because there's no correct answer, and no one answer that will work for every writer.
Some writers are completely paralyzed by any type of outline; so-called 'pantsers' prefer not to work from any outline at all because that's what's comfortable. Personally, I once had to write a detailed outline for a novella, and then I found that I really didn't enjoy the writing process as much as I normally do. Other writers work from outlines that are so detailed, they themselves reach the word count of novellas, coming to 20k or 30k long because they go into such detail on character and story.
The truth is, there's no right answer. It's all about what works for you. However, there are some things to keep in mind.
1) If you're planning on hiring an editor to review your outline, they can only see what's on the page, so anything that's simply in your head won't be available to them when they're offering feedback. As a result, if you know quite a bit more than what you put on the page, their feedback may not be all that useful to you because they could well be telling you what you already know.
2) Many ghostwriters prefer to work from very detailed outlines. I sometimes hire out as a ghostwriter, and I definitely fall into that category--though I don't want one for my own work, I absolutely want one when working to meet a client's vision. Depending on the ghostwriter, and their editorial instincts, they may or may not stray from the outline you offer them, or ask questions about what's not immediately clear when they receive it. That means you'll want to make it as detailed as possible. This is especially true for character motivation since what's clear to you in writing the outline may not be clear to them, and the motivation won't read as believable in the book if the ghostwriter isn't clear on the reason for what's happening in the story.
3) Outlines, at their best, are fluid. If you're writing a book and the manuscript isn't flowing naturally as you follow the outline, that may very well mean you need to go back to your outline and revised. Whether it was detailed or not doesn't matter; you don't want to stick to an outline if the writing itself isn't feeling like it's working. With that in mind, whatever level of detail you put into an outline, know that it may need to be flexible. Treat it as a guideline, in other words, and not a bible.
Jennifer is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
An outline has to be as detailed as the writer needs to feel grounded without becoming smothered. Some authors function best with broad strokes—general plot directions and character definition—whereas others prefer to dissect it into scene-by-scene. The key is clarity of purpose: having an idea of what every part of the story needs to do emotionally and story-wise. Too much description in an outline suffocates creativity, but vagueness can create wandering drafts. An effective balance gives direction with space to roam. Finally, the outline has to be more compass than contract—a map for the journey without specifying every detail.
John is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
5. Freewrite like you’re talking
Like an athlete carb-loading before a big race, a little bit of waffle isn’t a bad thing in your first draft. Getting anything down on paper can be daunting, so don’t worry about quality just yet.
In my experience, writing only feels hard when you’re judging it as soon as the words leave your fingertips. Accept that your first draft won’t be good, and you may find the pressure disappears. Suddenly, you can write pages and pages without inhibition.
This strategy is called “freewriting.” You write continuously without stopping, editing, or censoring yourself. It’s like telling a story to a friend: you don’t worry about phrasing, and you don’t take back words you’ve already said.
So long as you’ve planned the main thing you want to say, you should be able to churn out a raw stream-of-consciousness draft quickly. Forget any rules you’ve learned and just write like you’re talking. If you get stuck, type “idk what to write here” or “blah blah blah” and jump to a later sentence you do know how to write. You can always come back.
When you’re done, congratulate yourself for getting the words on the page — then invite your inner critic in. You’ll probably spend much more time revising and editing than you did writing — but the hardest part is over. For most writers, it’s easier to polish a draft than to finish one.
✍️ Try this
To stop yourself editing as you go, use a writing app that disables the backspace key, such as Cold Turkey Writer Pro. Or, for a more extreme challenge, try Squibler’s Most Dangerous Writing App, which deletes everything if you stop typing for more than five seconds during a session.
6. Put yourself in your reader’s shoes
When you freewrite, you don’t really think about the reader — which is fine, as long as you remember them when you start editing.
Step away from your draft for a while, then return with fresh eyes and read it as if for the first time. Ruthlessly cut anything that doesn’t serve the story or argument, as well as any tangent that isn’t truly interesting.
Put down everything that comes into your head and then you’re a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff’s worth, without pity, and destroy most of it.
~ Colette
Next, analyze your writing style. Refer back to the writing rules you learned in step three and see how your draft holds up. Keep an eye out for unnatural repetition and awkward phrasing.
✍️ Try this
Read your writing aloud and mark any passages where you stumble or run out of breath. Reword those sentences or add punctuation to improve their fluency.
7. Embrace constructive criticism
One of the fastest ways to improve as a writer is to seek feedback on your work — but only from the right people. Unless your friends and family are writers or editors, they’re rarely the best audience.
Instead, join a critique circle or writing group and ask for feedback from writers who understand the craft. Try not to see constructive criticism as failure, but as a learning opportunity. Remember that you don’t have to agree with every suggestion — but engaging with someone else’s perspective will help you reflect and grow.
✍️ Try this
Offer feedback to a fellow writer, ideally in your genre. Then ask for feedback on your feedback. You’ll learn how to critique in a way that’s genuinely useful — and discover what input to ask for in your own projects.
Q: What are the most important questions an author should ask beta readers when gathering helpful feedback on their manuscript?
Suggested answer
You're not looking for them to rewrite your book or give you line edits. What you do want is a sense of their reading experience. What landed, what didn’t, and where they felt pulled in or pushed out. So keep your questions focused on how it felt to read the story, not what they’d do differently.
Here are some solid ones to start with:
- Were there any spots where you felt bored, confused, or tempted to skim?
- What scenes or moments stuck with you and why?
- Were there any characters you didn’t connect with, or didn’t believe?
- Did anything feel off, out of place, or inconsistent?
- Did you always know what the main character wanted and what was at stake?
- How did the pacing feel—too fast, too slow, just right?
- Any lines that made you laugh, cry, reread, or roll your eyes?
And this one’s always revealing:
If you had to describe what this book is about in one or two sentences, what would you say?
That’ll tell you a lot about whether your story arc and themes are actually coming through.
You can also tailor your questions depending on what stage you're in. If you’re testing out a romance subplot, a twist, or the clarity of a magic system, ask about those specifically.
Final thing: don't get hung up on every single comment. Look for patterns. If three people say the same scene feels off, that’s worth looking at. If one person doesn’t vibe with your protagonist, but everyone else is in? That might just be taste.
Good luck and happy writing!
Tee is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
When gathering feedback from beta readers, asking the right questions can help you pinpoint areas for improvement and understand how your story resonates with others. Start by asking about engagement and pacing: Did the story hook them from the beginning, or were there parts they found slow or hard to follow? Plot questions are also essential—find out if any twists surprised them, if they spotted any unresolved plotlines, or if they were left confused by certain events. Character feedback is equally important; ask if the main characters felt relatable or if any lacked depth or motivation. Don’t forget to address world-building (if applicable), checking whether the setting felt immersive or if there were confusing elements. Questions about emotional impact can reveal if your story’s highs and lows hit the mark—did they feel invested in the stakes, or did certain scenes evoke strong emotions? Clarifying questions about scenes that might have been hard to follow, as well as feedback on theme and message, can also guide your revisions. Finally, personal enjoyment questions, like their favorite and least favorite parts or if they’d recommend the book, can give insight into the overall appeal. By targeting these areas, you’ll gain constructive, specific feedback that can elevate your story.
Eilidh is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
This depends how deep you want your beta readers to go, of course, but in general, ask them to consider: suspension of disbelief; character believability—particularly in dialogue; internal scene consistency; immersive world-building (for fantasy/horror, especially); and overall pace/flow of the story.
Brett is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Follow these seven habits and you’ll be amazed at how quickly your writing improves. Don’t believe me? Save something you write today and set a reminder to revisit it in six months’ time. Like footage from your first track meet, it'll probably make you cringe — but you’ll also realize how far you’ve come.
