Let’s be real: fiction writing isn’t for the faint of heart.
You have to build worlds out of thin air, breathe life into imaginary people, and keep readers turning pages while feeling every word. And somewhere between crafting compelling characters and surviving plot twists that surprise even you, you start to realize—writing is equal parts craft, grit, and wild magic.
So here it is. The best fiction writing advice I’ve ever received, refined in the trenches and passed along like battle-tested wisdom for storytellers who want to write boldly—and finish strong.
1. Write the Book You’d Stay Up All Night Reading
Forget trends. Forget what’s “hot” right now. Write the story that punches you in the gut and won’t let go. If it doesn’t grip you, it won’t grip anyone else. Your passion is the fuel—and trust me, readers can feel it.
If you’re obsessed with danger, betrayal, steamy tension, or fierce love in impossible circumstances… lean in. That’s your wheelhouse. Own it.
2. Start With a Question, Not an Answer
The best stories don’t come from what you know—they come from what you want to know. “What if she fell for the man sent to destroy her?” “What if survival meant betraying the one person she swore to protect?”
Let curiosity drive your plot. Questions invite chaos—and chaos is where fiction lives.
3. Finish the First Draft—Even If It’s a Dumpster Fire
The hardest part isn’t starting. It’s finishing.
Your first draft will be messy. It might feel clunky, inconsistent, or like you’ve lost control halfway through. Good. That means you’re doing it right. Let it be raw. Let it bleed. Just finish it.
Because you can’t edit a blank page, but you can fix a flawed one.
4. Characters Drive Everything
Plot matters—but characters make the story.
Know what your characters want. Know what they fear. Understand their secrets, lies, and breaking points. Then put them in situations that test all of it.
A gripping plot with flat characters falls apart. A simple plot with layered, living, breathing characters? Unstoppable.
5. Conflict Is the Pulse of Fiction
Want to know if your scene is working? Ask: What’s the tension here? If everything’s going smoothly, you’ve lost the reader. Friction fuels fiction.
Whether it’s internal, external, romantic, moral, or physical—conflict keeps the heart beating.
6. Dialogue Should Be a Knife Fight, a Seduction, or a Power Play
Every line of dialogue should have subtext—something unsaid underneath the words. Characters should never say exactly what they mean (unless they’re doing it on purpose for effect). Keep it snappy, layered, and emotionally charged.
7. Revise Like a Killer, Not a Creator
Your first draft is you telling yourself the story.
Your revision is you shaping that story for readers—cutting what drags, tightening what sings, sharpening every twist. Be ruthless. If it doesn’t serve the plot, character arc, or emotional impact, it goes.
Kill your darlings. Burn what doesn’t belong. Keep only what matters.
8. Don’t Wait for the Muse—Train Like a Pro
Inspiration is great. Discipline is better.
Show up when it’s hard. Write when it’s inconvenient. The muse shows up more often for writers who are already working.
Your creativity isn’t fragile. It’s a muscle. Use it.
9. Trust the Reader
Don’t over-explain. Don’t spoon-feed emotions or backstory. Readers are smart—they’ll fill in the gaps if you give them the right clues.
Leave room for interpretation. Give them space to feel it, not just read it.
10. No One Can Tell Your Story But You
Your voice matters. Your perspective matters. The way you write about love, war, trauma, redemption, desire, danger—that is what makes your fiction powerful.
You don’t need to sound like anyone else. You just need to sound like you, on fire.
Final Thought
Fiction writing isn’t about perfection. It’s about honesty. Emotion. Momentum. Risk.
You’re not just stringing words together—you’re pulling readers into a world they won’t want to leave. And that’s no small thing.
So write like it matters. Because it does.
If you enjoy learning more about writing, be sure to join our community! We are beginning a new developmental series on writing that any writer or hopeful writer won’t want to miss. And be sure to check out our a deep dive on each of the literary devices which are so important in writing and in understanding the nuances in literature.
LET’S CONNECT!
There are many ways to connect with Amy Stewart Bell. We would love to know what you think and any of the topics we offer. We welcome your comments and want to interact with you!
If you haven’t yet, grab your copies of Once Captured, Uncharted Captivity, and The Captive Mind.
You can also connect in other areas. Join us on Instagram @AmyWritesAll, on X @AmyWritesAll, and on Facebook @AmyWritesAll.
Be sure to join our community as well; you will get even more inside info!
