Yesterday at our writers’ night, a bit of an emergency developed. I want to thank everyone whose response no doubt made a big difference in the outcome. I won’t embarrass anyone by naming names, but I would like to sing your praises.

Two of our writers went above and beyond in caring for one of our writers’ group attendees yesterday evening. I was deeply impressed with their willingness to give up their time to look after another writer. I don’t feel like I should say too much about what happened for the sake of everyone’s privacy, but I cannot let the moment go unremarked altogether.

The kindness and thoughtfulness displayed yesterday will live with me for a long time to come. You are an example of the kind of world I want to live in. Thank you.

This conceptual gold star goes specifically to two of our writers’ group (you know who you are) but also to everyone who showed kindness and support through the events of the evening. I should also mention the staff at The Wheatsheaf, who are also deserving of praise. I hope Wheatsheaf management knows what wonderful staff they have – give them a raise if you can.

I am delighted that we have such big-hearted and level-headed members and supportive hosts. A big thank you to every person involved. The outlook is positive, and you are all stars.

Editing. A thing very much unlike writing as much as it is the same thing.

I have found editing my work a paradox of both being like writing and very much unlike writing.

As a result, it has taken me a long time to feel like I have started to understand the process. I’m not sure I have entirely grasped the finer points but I have a few ideas now. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share what I have learned.

Beware when words start to form gangs

There are some words that come up far more often than others. This is normal and healthy. For me, these words are “was” and “has”. Yours might be different.

I invested a lot of effort into removing all instances of one only to find it had converted to an instance of the other. Worse, my writing was degraded as a result of my efforts.

This is because my frequent words are not, in and of themselves, bad or wrong. They are perfectly good words that do an important, if mostly invisible, job.

Sometimes “was” and “had” are simply the best choice for the sentence’s needs. Unless they start forming gangs.

I have taken to using the search function in my word processor (from Libre Office) and hitting “highlight all”. If I see one or two lone examples, they are probably well-behaved and can be left to get on with it. If, however, I see a whole gang of them congregating in an otherwise innocent paragraph, then I probably need to investigate. Gangs of the same word generally mean I need to cull their numbers there.

Clone separation

My characters tend to operate in groups. This is fine and good, and how I tell stories. However, I have found something that I need to focus on in my editing and revision process. When characters tend to always come as a team, come of them can swap lines without changing anything. This is a problem because it means the characters are essentially clones.

I was largely unaware of this shortcoming until the wonderful writers at our group pointed it out. It took a few instances of them gently showing me my shortcoming before I got the message. Since then, I have enjoyed the editing process because I have something I can do to refine my story.

What I have been leaning towards doing is identifying unique words, phrases, and other characteristic ticks for each character. This can include a difference of opinion if that helps but in most cases, what I need is for each clone-like character to find what makes them somewhat different. I have found that it does not take much but the results are amazing.

I gave one character unruly hair that he keeps touching. I gave another triplet of clones some religious differences. I added one unique word to a character, and he completely transformed. These little touches have been a bit of a game changer for me.

When you complete clone separation, each character feels unique, alive, and differentiated. More than that, the scene feels more real, the story flows better, and is more engaging.

Separate your clones.

Pacing changes

My stories tend to either meander slowly or rattle along at breakneck speed. This is by design as it suits the story being told. However, I have been teaching myself to slow down from time to time. To stop and smell the flowers, so to speak. This gives readers a chance to catch their breath. After all, I don’t want them too tired to keep reading.

I’m not going to suggest I have mastered this yet. However, the feedback of my fellow writers has, at least, let me notice the need to try and mix it up a little.

What are your editing tips?

I’m still very much learning how to edit my manuscript. I still have a lot to learn.

What are your tips for editing? Are there things you have learned to do? Is editing as easy as breathing for you? Are you like me and still finding your way?

I’d love to hear from you.

Chaotic Creators Magazine is running a writing competition. Entry is £10 but there are free slots open for low-income participants. The prize is £50 and a free copy of the magazine where your story is published.

They especially encouraging entries from underrepresented voices and emerging writers.

The short story competition winner will receive a £50 cash prize (subject to increase if we receive more entries than anticipated), have their story featured in the next issue of Chaotic Creators Magazine, and receive a free printed copy. Second and third-place winners will also be featured in the next issue and will receive a free digital copy.

For more information, see the competition page.

I stumbled upon The Word Man talking about semicolons and had to share it.

What are the writing tips people wished they’d known sooner? I sent a request for comments to a wide variety of experts in various fields and asked them that exact question.

Believe in Yourself and Set Small Goals

As a first-time author, it took me four years to turn my book idea into reality. One of the biggest lessons I learned was to believe in myself and quiet the “Who am I to write this?” voice. What helped me get unstuck was setting small, achievable goals. I’d commit to writing for 15 minutes, celebrating any extra time I wrote, rather than setting unrealistic goals and feeling like I failed.

Another game-changer? Letting the first draft be bad. The purpose of a first draft isn’t perfection—it’s progress. The only goal of a first draft is to get your ideas out of your head and onto the page, no matter how messy. For aspiring authors, my advice is simple: underpromise to yourself, overdeliver when you can, and embrace the messiness of the creative process. Every word moves you closer to your goal.

Use First Drafts to Explore Ideas

I’ve often found that aspiring authors fall into the habit of self-editing their initial drafts too—sometimes to the point of censoring themselves and avoiding writing altogether. As a writer, I’ve done this myself before, so I know it’s easy to get caught up in what you want your final piece of work to look and feel like.

As an editor, I always encourage aspiring writers to use their first drafts to get their thoughts out on the page. Don’t stop yourself from writing because you’re worried about making mistakes; first drafts are the place to explore your ideas and experiment. Nothing is written in stone, and you have the ability to change things after you write your first draft.

Once the draft is written, you can then go through the manuscript and self-edit. Following that, you can work with an editor. However, you can only edit what’s on the page, so give yourself permission to write and start doing it!

Plan and Outline Before Writing

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned about the writing process is the importance of planning and outlining before diving in.

Early in my career, I used to jump straight into writing, only to get stuck midway through. Now, I realize that creating a clear structure and understanding the purpose of the content from the start saves time and makes the writing more cohesive.

For aspiring authors, my advice is to embrace the power of drafts. Don’t aim for perfection in the first go—let your ideas flow freely, and refine them later. Writing is as much about editing and refining as it is about creativity.

Capture Ideas Immediately

One of the best writing lessons I’ve learned is to stop waiting for the perfect moment to write. Ideas don’t care about your schedule.

I keep a running note in my Notes app or Google Docs to dump thoughts the second they hit. It doesn’t have to be polished—it just has to exist.

Getting ideas out of your head and onto the page is how momentum builds. Edit later. Capture now.

Embrace Rewriting and Editing

The biggest lesson? Writing is rewriting. I used to think the first draft had to be perfect, but it’s really just the raw material you shape into something great. The magic happens in the edits—cutting fluff, tightening sentences, and finding the heart of the story.

My advice to aspiring authors: don’t obsess over getting it right the first time. Just get the words down, even if they’re messy. Progress beats perfection, and clarity comes with the grind.

Have at least some idea of where you are going with your story

It took me a long time to discover that if I had at least some idea of where I was going with my story, writing it was faster and easier. I’m not a planner by any means – I mostly make it up as I go along because that way I get to enjoy the story unfolding too. However, I like to have a few bullet points for the chapter. Nothing too detailed, just enough to prevent me from stopping to ask, “Okay, brain, what do they do next?”

In the same way that I want to know the destination but not the journey for the plot, I also want to know the same for my characters. I find that a clue or two about how a character will change and grow over the story helps me write them with greater depth. At the very least, I want to have a vague idea about where they start and where they end up.

Writing is a journey; at the very least, you should know which way the compass should point.

Over to you

Now, it is your turn. What writing lesson do you wish you had learned sooner? Do you agree with our pundits or do you have a different perspective?

We’d all love to hear from you – leave a comment, send a reply, or give us a mention.