How to Write Like You Actually Know What You're Doing

This advice will change your life

Let’s be real writing a good paper (or article, essay, whatever) can feel like trying to build IKEA furniture without instructions. Here are my favorite actually useful tips to make your writing sharper, more dynamic, and way less boring:

1. Upgrade Your Vocabulary (Without Sounding Like a Thesaurus)

Find 10 words in your draft and swap them out for stronger, more precise, or more interesting words. Be intentional—don’t just replace "good" with "superb" unless it fits.

When I wrote The Yellow Armchair & I Quit Instagram to Find Inner Peace, I swapped out words like “stressed” for “fractured” and “relieved” for “unburdened.” It made the emotions hit harder without making them feel overdone.

2. Vary How You Start Sentences

Challenge yourself to start at least one paragraph in each piece with something different:

• A noun (e.g., "Writing is an art.")

• A verb (e.g., "Running through ideas, I realized...")

• An adverb (e.g., "Quickly, I realized...")

• A subordinating conjunction like even though, while, although, because (e.g., "Even though I was tired, I kept writing.")

In To Anyone with a Dream That Feels Impossible, I played with this a lot—starting with a question, a statement, even a one-word sentence to set the tone.

3. Stop Saying 'Shows,' 'Tells,' and 'States'

These are weak verbs—ditch them. Instead, use stronger options like:

• Implies

• Illustrates

• Demonstrates

• Reveals

Make your writing do more work with fewer words. In Stuck, Staring at Turquoise Blue Walls, instead of saying, “The walls show how I feel stuck,” I personified them, letting them whisper my doubts back at me. Stronger verbs = stronger emotions.

4. Master the Art of Sentence Variety (aka Syntax Magic)

Don’t let your sentences all sound the same. Mix it up to keep your reader awake:

• Use complex sentences (sentences with multiple clauses).

• Throw in compound sentences (two independent clauses joined by a conjunction).

• Add a telegraphic sentence (short, punchy, to the point).

Example:
The storm raged on, howling through the night, as trees bent under the pressure of the wind. But I stayed. I waited.

Pro Tip: You dictate the rhythm and cadence of your writing. Own that power. I did this in Valentine’s Day Was Yesterday and I Spent It Watching 14-Year-Olds Play Basketball —some sentences ran long and winding, others were sharp, abrupt.

It’s all about pacing. I use this cadence to let my own personality and voice shine through. And if you’re writing different characters, playing with their cadence can help make their voice feel unique and true to who they are.

5. Analyze (and Rewrite) One of Your Paragraphs for Syntax
Pick your longest paragraph and:

1. Count the number of sentences.

2. Describe their length—are they long, medium, or short?

3. Rewrite that paragraph to include:

   • One telegraphic sentence.

   • One complex sentence.

   • One compound sentence.

   • Bonus points if you create a deliberate rhythm.

What’s a telegraphic sentence, you ask?
A telegraphic sentence is a very short, direct sentence, often with minimal words. It’s typically around 3–5 words and doesn’t include unnecessary details. The goal is to keep it sharp and impactful.

For example:
I stayed. I waited.

Complex sentence example:
I waited in the storm, even though I was exhausted.

Compound sentence example:
I waited for the storm to pass, but the wind kept howling.

Why?

Because variety = energy. If you break the rules on purpose, it can be powerful. But if you break them without knowing—well, it shows.

The takeaway? Writing isn’t about following rules—it’s about breaking them with purpose.

This list was born over 8 years ago in my AP Lang class (shoutout to my teacher for creating the foundation). I took it and added all the extra bits along the way, testing it through countless essays, articles, and late-night writing sessions.

And if you want even more ramblings (or just to see what I’m up to), follow me on Instagram: @jolaya_

If you found this useful, comment down below a writing tip you're excited to try! I’d love to hear your thoughts!