How To Be a Self-Taught Writer
4 tips to become a fiction writer if you didn’t major in English or creative writing
1. Read Writing Books
I learned more about writing by studying on my own than I ever did in English classes. In my public school education, “writing” meant reading books authored by dead people, Jane Schaffering your way through formulaic essays, and regurgitating the teachers’ literary (aka SparkNotes) interpretations.
So how do you learn how to write? If you have the money, you could take a class or even enroll in Creative Writing MFA program. But for those on a budget, all you need to do is read writing books.
My writing education came primarily from those Writer’s Digest “Write Great Fiction” and “Elements of Fiction Writing” books. I bought a handful of used copies from Half-Price Books. And to be extra frugal, I checked out several volumes from the library and took notes. I read these religiously to the point someone at a writers’ group asked if I’d majored in English.
That being said, although these books are a great foundation, don’t cling to them like dogma. Try them out and see what works for you.
