A lot of agencies and publishers want you to write their bio for them, but you’re best placed to write it yourself! Don’t worry, here’s how you can increase your creative writing vocabulary so when that query letter arrives, you can craft an answer that pleases the person who’s reading it.
Find Your Own Voice
The best way to expand your creative writing voice is to find your own experiences and put them on paper. Remember: your story is unique to you, so you cannot write something that has already been done. This is why it is a good idea to write down your own queries before you start receiving requests from literary agencies and publishers. By the time you have written your own story, you will have grown as a writer and will know exactly how to respond to any query that is sent your way. Start by researching the genres and styles of the agencies and publishers that you want to work with. Once you have found the one that suits you best, you can start expanding your writing skills and becoming more confident in your ability to write something new and original. Take your time: it can take a while to find your voice, and the more you put in the better the outcome will be.
Learn From The Pros
If you’re writing something that is a complete work of fiction, then you might want to consider publishing it through a traditional route. This means getting an agent or a literary manager and going through the publishing process, which can be a long and arduous road. If you do choose to go this route, then make sure that you go through the proper channels: do your research, join groups on social media platforms like LinkedIn, and read online articles and guides to learn as much as possible. When it comes to expanding your creative writing vocabulary, nothing can beat learning from the pros! Make sure you surround yourself with as much knowledge as possible so when that query arrives, you can respond with confidence.
Look To The Past
In addition to finding your own voice, the first thing you need to do is examine your existing creative writing skills. Break down the language that you are using and define the words and phrases that you are unfamiliar with. One of the best ways to expand your vocabulary is to look to the past: examine the work of masters within the field and see how they incorporated unfamiliar words and phrases into their pieces. If you are writing in a historical context, then make sure that you do your research and know the difference between fact and fiction. Break down the language barrier by using words and phrases that your characters would use within the given period of time. Learning from the best is always the key to expanding your writing toolbox: take a leaf out of the book of a famous author and see how they would incorporate these words and phrases into their stories. History will always be one of the best teachers, and by incorporating elements of famous historians’ work, you will give your writing that extra edge that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Build A Library
If you’re fortunate enough to have a large library at your fingertips, then consider adding some of the greats to your collection. There are lots of famous writers and poets who never got the credit they deserved because they wrote in an era before blogging and social media. Make sure you check out these legendary pieces and incorporate what you can from them into your own writing. Learning from the best is always the key to expanding your writing toolbox: make sure you surround yourself with as much knowledge as possible so when that query arrives, you can respond with confidence.
Know Your Audience
If you’re writing for an audience, then make sure that you tailor your language and concepts to their level of understanding. If you’re writing for a more seasoned audience, then take time to explain things in simpler terms. Never use big words or concepts that they may not be familiar with: the more you can do to put yourself in their shoes, the better. This way, when that query letter arrives, you will be able to communicate and persuade them that your work is worth their time and attention. If you’re writing for a less experienced audience, then consider using simpler language and eliminating some of the in-demand literary words that you know they will never understand.
Expand Your Mind
Anyone who has spent time studying creative writing knows that it can often be a difficult field to enter. Make sure you do your research into the types of words and sentences that are overused within the industry and define them. Some of the most common words and phrases that you will need to familiarize yourself with include:
- The first draft never needs polish — be brutal with it and get on with the editing. [Blog article]:
What Is a The First Draft?
Often times, writers will begin the editing process of a work with a clean copy of the text. This is referred to as the first draft. Since it is a rough draft, it is usually marked with redactions — these are the areas that the writer has highlighted and are therefore in need of fixing. During the redaction stage, the writer will make subtle changes to the text and generally try to improve it. After the redaction stage is complete, the first draft is typically given to a copy editor to ensure that the language is consistent and that there are no errors in content.
The First Draft Fantasy
Although the first draft of your novel or short story may have ended up being terrible, it doesn’t have to be. With some careful planning and forethought, you can make something amazing out of it. Before you begin your first draft, take time to plan out the story and set the scene. Decide on a time frame and a place: you could choose a precise location such as a street, shopping mall, or park, but it’s better if you choose a place that is more generic and less specific. For example, you can use the location of a restaurant, café, or bar — anything that is open to the public. Now comes the fun part: start writing! Don’t worry if the first draft doesn’t seem great: you’re still in the first draft stage — it’ll get better! Make sure you write in a place that is quiet and has plenty of room so you can become immersed in your work. After you have completed your first draft, take time to plan out the second and subsequent drafts. Think about what you have written and consider if there are any areas that you want to expand upon further. There may be new ideas that you want to play with or pieces that you have written that you feel could use some additional work. As long as you use your existing skills and continue to grow as a writer, any first draft will be able to become a great novel or short story. Plus, at this point, you have nothing to lose — your first draft is already complete, so there is no risk of it not being good enough!
The First Draft Stage
Often times, writers will begin the editing process of a work with a clean copy of the text. This is referred to as the first draft. Since it is a rough draft, it is usually marked with redactions — these are the areas that the writer has highlighted and are therefore in need of fixing. During the redaction stage, the writer will make subtle changes to the text and generally try to improve it. After the redaction stage is complete, the first draft is typically given to a copy editor to ensure that the language is consistent and that there are no errors in content.
Manuscript, Revise
Once you have finished the first draft of your novel or short story, you will need to move on to the next phase, which is to revise it. During the revision stage, you will make further changes and corrections to the work. This is usually an iterative process: you will go back and forth between the manuscript stage and the revise stage, making changes and adding more content as you see fit. When you are satisfied with the results of your revisions, you can submit the work for consideration: this is the final stage before the first draft is complete.
The Revision Stage
Often times, writers will begin the editing process of a work with a clean copy of the text. This is referred to as the first draft. Since it is a rough draft, it is usually marked with redactions — these are the areas that the writer has highlighted and are therefore in need of fixing. During the redaction stage, the writer will make subtle changes to the text and generally try to improve it. After the redaction stage is complete, the first draft is typically given to a copy editor to ensure that the language is consistent and that there are no errors in content.