That you learn to write by Writing is undeniable. Like any art, writing requires dedication, time and effort. Not everything is a matter of talent, as much as more than one of us would like to believe. However, no matter how many hours we dedicate to our novel, sometimes we notice that our narration is rusty, as if the words do not flow or are scarce and repetitive. It could be because you are experiencing creative block, a bad day, or because you are very stressed. But it can also be due to a lack of Vocabulary. 

It is clear that each of us has our own narrative style and that we will tend to use some words instead of others, but when we notice that feeling of dryness in the mental language of our brain, it is time to stop and enrich our vocabulary. Today we are going to see some very simple tips that will help us increase our vocabulary and, consequently, improve our writing.

1. READ, ALWAYS

It sounds obvious, but it is the most effective. When you read you learn new words, new expressions, other ways of communicating with the reader. When there is a scene that moves you, stop and analyze it: how has the writer managed to connect with you in that unique way? What words and expressions has he used? This way you will not only Expand vocabulary, but resources. In addition, reading will keep your mind awake, so if you are going through a moment of blockage or you find yourself so overwhelmed by the daily routine that you do not find time to continue with your novel , Outsource eBook Writing services will help you not lose inspiration or the desire to write.

2. HAVE THE DICTIONARY ON HAND

Reading is the first step to expand vocabulary, but as long as we do it with a dictionary at our side. If every time we see a word we don’t know we pass it by, we won’t learn anything at all. I know that stopping on each page can be a real pain (I don’t do it, especially when I’m hooked on what I’m reading), although it would be the most correct thing to do; However, for lazy people like me, there is the alternative of underlining the words with pencil. This way, when we finish reading, we can look for them calmly and expand our vocabulary. Don’t forget that, if you don’t have a dictionary at home, you can install the RAE one on your mobile phone or consult it online. 

3. CREATE YOUR OWN LIST.

Get a small notebook that fits in any pocket. This way you can always write down words and expressions that you didn’t know, even if you are away from home. If you are more modern, you can do it on mobile. The objective of this is that you can consult the list later and do not forget those new acquisitions. So, when you notice that rust in your narration, you can go to your list and see if you can use any of the notes for that moment.

4. APPS TO EXPAND VOCABULARY

There are many, many applications for writers that are super useful and that can help us organize our novel, our characters, our writing time… And, of course, expand our vocabulary. Looking in the Play Store, I found these two apps that I thought were very cool: Words: Expand Vocabulary and Daily Vocabulary in Spanish. The first is a game in which we are presented with a phrase and asked for the meaning of one of its words. You have limited time and lives that you lose every time you fail. The second is an app that presents us with a daily definition of a word. You can write down all the words you don’t know on your personal list.

And finally, remember: moderation! It’s great that with these tips you are going to learn 200 new words this week, but be moderate. Learning makes us happy, that’s clear, but don’t go to your computer, open your novel and, overjoyed and full of joy, start using each of the words you’ve been acquiring. These new words and expressions will enrich your novel and your style when you know how to use them at the right moment, although, if you want to let them go, you can always go to Pasapalabra and earn some money…

Four writing techniques for any writer

Today I wanted to share with you four basic writing techniques for any writer. These techniques can be applied to any part of the writing process. I hope they are very useful to you! 

1. Take care of the language

The first and most important thing is to take care of the language you are going to use. Try to use simple words and avoid redundancies. Make it seem like it barely took you any time to write it, because that’s the true art of writing (and art in general, right? How many times have we seen a dancer and thought “it looks so easy…? I could do that!” and then an an ). Eye! With this I am not saying that we do not watch the language, quite the opposite, I am saying that simplicity is the key . Oh, and of course don’t forget to adapt the language to the context of your story. 

2. Experiment

Before you start novel writing your manuscript, take some time to try out different voices. Do exercises to work on the different types of narrator (in my next posts I will tell you about them) and even experiment with the different characters. It is possible that you have chosen one character to narrate the story and suddenly realize that you feel more comfortable with the voice of another.

3. Read aloud

When you finish writing the chapter (or a set number of words or pages), stop to read it aloud. This way, you will notice if you repeat some words a lot or if the sentences sound complicated. Start incorporating this habit (if you haven’t already) and you will discover how useful it is.

4. Beta reader

Finally, when you finish your story, give it to a trusted person who likes the genre to give you their opinion. If you don’t know anyone around you who can help you, on the Internet you can find many beta readers who will give you a hand without any problem. This way, you can feel out what people think and make corrections based on their comments. Maybe they see some inconsistency that you hadn’t noticed .

And here the post today! I hope you liked it and above all, that it was useful to you . Do you use any of these techniques? Which ones would you recommend to other writers like you ? See you this Wednesday with the penultimate story of the summer stories and on Sunday with a new post! Don’t leave without sharing the ticket with your friends .