No two writers are alike. No two creative journeys look identical. What works beautifully for one author might leave another staring into the void while aggressively reorganizing sticky notes.

So here are some of the best pieces of writing advice I’ve gathered along the way—take what works, leave what doesn’t, and remember that your process is allowed to look different.

1. Books Are Not Our Babies
   This one stings a little.
   Books are creations. They are projects. They are stories we steward. But if we treat them like our children, criticism feels like a personal attack instead of useful feedback. Distance gives you room to revise without emotional whiplash.
   
2. Villains Rarely Think They’re Villains
   The best antagonists don’t wake up twirling mustaches.
   Your villain believes they’re right. They justify their actions. They have wounds, motives, and logic that make sense to them. Understanding that creates richer, more believable conflict.
   
3. Build Stories Around Wounds and Fears
   If you know your character’s deepest wound and biggest fear, you’ve found the heartbeat of your story.
   Characters aren’t changed by plot twists alone. They’re changed when their wounds are exposed, challenged, and ultimately healed—or not.
   
4. Evaluate Advice Based on the Source
   Not every piece of advice deserves equal weight.
   Consider someone’s experience, track record, and expertise before accepting their guidance. Taking writing advice from someone who hasn’t studied craft, published, or produced results can sometimes feel like taking cleaning advice from a hoarder.
   Listen broadly. Filter wisely.
   
5. Color-Code Books You Love
   Want to understand pacing, dialogue, action beats, or setting descriptions?
   Grab highlighters.
   Color-coding books by authors you admire can reveal patterns you’d otherwise miss. Suddenly, craft stops feeling mysterious and starts feeling observable.
   
6. There’s No One Correct Writing Process
   Write chronologically.
   Write scenes out of order.
   Use the Snowflake Method.
   Outline heavily.
   Pants your way through chaos.
   There are dozens of ways to write a story, and sometimes the process changes from book to book. Flexibility matters more than following someone else’s formula.
   
7. Feed Your Creativity Outside of Books
   Podcasts, screenwriting lessons, documentaries, interviews, history podcasts—creative fuel comes from unexpected places.
   Sometimes the missing ingredient in your writing isn’t more writing advice. It’s broader inspiration.
   
8. Use Your Craft Tools
   Character emotion thesauruses. Wound thesauruses. Positive and negative trait guides.
   These tools exist for a reason. Use them. They aren’t cheating. They’re resources that keep you from pulling your hair out.
   
9. Read Across Categories
   Read fiction.
   Read nonfiction.
   Read craft books.
   Each teaches something different. Fiction teaches story. Nonfiction teaches knowledge. Craft books teach technique. Read it all.
   
10. Write Consistently, Even When It’s Ugly
    You don’t have to write thousands of words every day.
    Maybe your goal is ten minutes.
    Maybe it’s one scene.
    Maybe it’s 300 words.
    Consistency matters more than intensity.
    And remember: faucets always run cold first before the warm water comes. Creative warm-ups work the same way.
    
11. You Are What You Read
    What you consume shapes what you create.
    The books you read, the writers you spend time with, the voices you surround yourself with—they all influence your work.
    Choose wisely.
    
12. Your Character’s Past Is Running the Show
    Whether readers consciously realize it or not, your character’s history drives nearly everything. Past experiences shape decisions, fears, relationships, and reactions.
    Backstory isn’t decoration. It’s infrastructure.
    
13. Become an Observer
    Writers are collectors.
    Notice the smell of old libraries. Notice how people tap their fingers when anxious. Notice awkward silences, strange habits, background noise, and the way people avoid eye contact when they’re lying.
    Observation fills your creative toolbox.
    
14. Write the Story God Is Asking You to Write
    Markets shift constantly.
    Trends change.
    Genres rise and fall.
    Trying to predict the market can feel like chasing a moving target while blindfolded.
    Write the story God is inviting you into. Obedience and authenticity will outlast trends every time.