Fiction writing has many skills that are transferable to content writing (which is why I created my storytelling templates).
Yet sometimes, it can be hard to bridge the gap.
In this post, I’m going to explore content writing lessons from fiction writing.
Since 2016, I’ve published 21 books under my pen names Kristina Adams and K.C. Adams.
18 of those are novels. Three of those are books for fiction writers designed to help them get over writer’s block.
I also have a BA and an MA in Creative Writing.
Meaning I’ve got a fair bit of experience in writing, editing, researching, and getting over a creative hump.
And, with 10 years of experience working as a content writer, I also know a fair bit about the overlap between the two forms of writing.
So let’s dive in.
If you’re stuck, it’s probably because you need to do more research
We’ve all been stuck on a work in progress at some point. It’s an inevitable part of being a creator. A rite of passage, if you will.
There are lots of things that can cause us to be stuck, but it usually boils down to:
- Stresses like being ill, lack of sleep, relationship issues, etc
- Needing to do more research
Neither of these is a reflection of what you’re creating. Instead, they reflect external factors.
The only real solution for stress is to rest for as long as you can.
I know, it sucks
But if you’re ill or going through personal issues, you’ll get more done later if you rest now.
Research, meanwhile, I’ve found to be one of the most effective techniques for getting through any sort of creative block.
For example, when I was struggling to come up with ideas for this blog, I opened Answer the Public and typed in ‘content marketing’ to see what it came up with.
I then wrote down the long-tail keywords and questions that I felt would help me establish my thought leadership, rank in search engines, and attract potential clients. And where I’d have something to say!
Next, I researched some industry studies and statistics to include. I also do this at the end of the process in case there’s anything I missed or didn’t think of the first time.
Then, I used the free MarketMuse plan during the writing and editing process to help me weave in keywords. This also helped me with suggestions for what topics to cover in said blog posts that would interest to my readers.
You don’t have to start at the beginning
There’s an infamous story that my blog readers and podcast listeners have heard many, many times.
Her name was Poppy Winslow.
And I really, really wanted to write about her.
Except that I didn’t plan the story.
And I wanted to write her story in chronological order.
It was supposed to be a romance story set on an Aussie beach.
5,000 words in, I ran out of plot.
I had scenes I wanted to write, but they were much later into the story.
If I kept writing chronologically, I had to find a way to fill the gap until I reached the next scene I had an idea for – which was at the end of the book.
But I really, really wanted to write that last scene.
And in the end, writing it helped me get to know the characters so that I could go back and fill in the gaps.
Turning writing from a linear process into a jigsaw puzzle.
Since then, I’ve started writing in a way that works for my brain rather than forcing myself to write in a conventional way. My brain isn’t linear or logical, so why should I force it to create that way?
Sometimes that means starting in the middle of a book. Or even at the end.
In fact, for one of my most popular books, The Ghost’s Call, I wrote the ending first.
Then, I planned and wrote towards the ending.
It worked!
That book has ranked in the top 20 for the whole of Amazon multiple times. It’s one of my most popular books.
So If you want to start creating at the end, or halfway through, you do you.
Do whatever gets you to the finish line with the least amount of stress.
What matters is the end result (and not plagiarising, obviously) – not how you got there!
Sometimes editing means adding words, not taking them away
I didn’t realise that this was an uncommon (or lesser-known?) thing to do until one of my old podcast subscribers seemed surprised when I said that I often double my word count during developmental edits.
When she found out more about my process, it seemed to relieve her of some first-draft-writing pressure, so I’m passing that lesson on to you.
My average first draft is 25,000 words.
My published books are 80,000-120,000 words. The average is about 90,000.
You’ve probably heard the phrase about first drafts being for you to tell yourself the story. Well, that’s basically what I do and have always done.
Focusing on that allows me to get the key plot points out and roughly draft the dialogue.
Then, when I edit, I can add in description and refine the plot and dialogue.
Your writing style will evolve over time
The way I write now is very different to how I wrote when I first started blogging in 2014.
I’m not sure I could reread my old content without cringing. But that’s a good thing: it’s a sign of growth.
It’s a sign that my skills as a writer have improved, times have changed, and I’m more aware of how to write for readability and accessibility.
I have no doubt that when I look back on my pieces from 2024 in another ten years’ time, I’ll continue to cringe.
But I’m ok with that.
Readers love it when you make their lives easier
We all have moments in our lives we’ll never forget.
One that stood out to me was when a reader, who’d bought my book at an event, dropped me an Instagram message. She also has fibromyalgia, and she said that my first book, What Happens in New York, got her back into reading after years of brain fog.
If you’ve never experienced brain fog, it’s what it sounds like: your thoughts are fuzzy and it’s really hard to think clearly. It’s a maddening part of health conditions including fibromyalgia, MECFS, depression, anxiety, and many more.
I’ll never forget that message. I think back on it when I’m struggling to write or stay motivated.
While I love an obnoxious word (my favourite is tchotchke, if you’re wondering), I still think readability is hugely underestimated.
The UK’s most popular newspaper has an average reading age of seven. Why is that?
People often read during downtime: in queues, drinking coffee, on the toilet. So they’re not really reading to think.
Sure, there are people who do, and there’s a place for that content, too. But if you’re a business, you really need to consider how your content reflects your brand.
It’s your brand’s job to make your customer’s lives easier. If your website gives them a headache, from either its layout or its content, they’re less likely to associate you with solving their problems.
But if you answer their questions clearly and succinctly, they’ll grow to like and trust you, which means they’re also more likely to hand over their cash.
Conclusion
For me, writing anything is a jigsaw puzzle, not a linear process.
But ultimately, there’s no right or wrong way to write so long as you get to the end, publish something you’re happy with, and learn from it for future content!
If you’d like help incorporating more fiction-writing techniques into your content marketing, get in touch and let’s discuss how I could help your business.