So as I’ve mentioned before, I’m a writer. My main project at the moment is a fantasy trilogy which I’ve been working on for about ten years (yes I agree, it’s time I got a move on). As annoying as it is that the writing process takes so long, it offers benefits too. My style has changed as I’ve matured, and since joining numerous writing groups I have come up with new ideas, plot devices and ways to use words descriptively.

Of course, this means that whenever I go back and look over my early work, I often wish I could change this bit, or tweak that, or simply rewrite that whole section. This is easy to do for the most part, except for the first part of my main trilogy, which has already been published. Oops.

So here is a list of things I would do differently, should I start again. Maybe it’ll be helpful to other budding writers out there too.

1. Plan

Some people plan their entire novel out before they start, whereas others don’t plan at all and let the plot take them where it wills. I used to be a stout member of the second group, but for my second book I’ve set up camp in the grey area: have a flexible, rough outline of where the story will go. It’s a simple bullet list of the main events that need to happen and from whose perspective the narration will work best, and it’s damn useful. It’s also easy to edit, reference and switch things around if the story goes in a slightly different direction.

2. Draw maps

About a week ago I realised that a two week boat journey and a three day swim covered the same amount of distance in my novel. Apart from being physically impossible, it won’t do to have readers notice it. Draw maps of your world as you invent it. If you include them in your final work it’ll be a useful tool for your readers as well, particularly if your world is extensive.

3. Write character lists

If your book contains many characters, it is worth putting together a quick glossary for your own reference. I know this would have sped up my writing quite a lot with my series. Also, as with maps, you can include them for the reader too (I for one would have struggled with Game of Thrones without the character glossaries at the back).

4. Write name lists

You’ve done it for places and people: why not for things as well? Writing fantasy means lots of made up words for foods, sports, clothing, weaponry and other objects. Make a glossary: you won’t regret it. Also when naming things, write a list of words instead of using the first one you think of. Then you can pick out the word which sounds most like e.g. a fruit.

5. Have consistent characters

When planning, have an rough idea of who your characters are, and keep them that way. Don’t have a cowardly, quiet person suddenly do something that makes them the centre of attention. Don’t have a mild-mannered person get angry regularly. When a person acts out of character, it should be a) for a reason significant to the plot and b) noticed by other characters.

6. Describe new settings

Description is a great aid to imagination, but too much of it risks boring the reader. There are no hard and fast rules, and it really depends on the style of the writer, but I do this: When introducing a new setting, think of the three most important things about it, and use those to build a description a few lines long. If you’ve written a whole page describing a desert, you need to cut it down. Don’t forget, you can continue to describe setting through actions your character takes e.g. The sand felt coarse under his toes as he walked, and each grain seared his skin like hot coals.

7. Be consistent in narration

This links back to my point about planning. Narration should remain as consistent as possible; changing the point of view from one character to another abruptly can make writing seem disjointed, and the story won’t flow. Narration can change in breaks in the text e.g. at the end of chapters. Personally, I refer to my plan so that I know who needs to be where and when, and therefore who is best to narrate the story.

8. Spelling and grammar

Everyone rants about it, but there’s a good reason; it’s true! I read and re-read my first book so many times and yet I still missed some typos that were only pointed out to me after I’d published it. Get a pal to read it for you, if you don’t want to do it yourself.

9. Pace

Something else to plan. My books are primarily aimed at young adults, so I need a fairly brisk pace to keep up interest. If your book is aimed at more mature audiences, the pace can be slower. Think about who your writing is for, and plan the main events in your story accordingly. In my plan for my next book, I decided that I want one plot-significant event to happen in each chapter.

10. Set targets

Writing isn’t easy. I started my first book while I was at school, continued slowly through university and finished it while holding down a full time job. What helped me to finally knuckle down was friends and family who asked me every day if I’d written anything. Eventually I started writing regularly because it was embarrassing telling them I hadn’t done anything! If I could do it again, I’d set myself a small word target per week, say around 2000 words. Little and often is better than writing in infrequent chunks, as it helps you keep on track in terms of style and story.

Well, that’s what I would have done. Whether this has been useful to you or not, it has to me. One last thing: don’t give up. The planning and editing and time may not always seem worth it, but when you see your name in print, you’ll know that it was.