In many ways, having a knack for transitions is naturally because it is about what feels right more than following a given formula. However, the more you read the work of good writers, taking note of how they treat transitions, the better you will approach the matter yourself.

However, you must try not to let the act of jotting the word down conclude your relationship with it. Try and use each new entry in the coming days. Familiarise yourself with its meaning and use it wherever opportunity allows – in an email, in your own writing, at work, in conversation or even in a game of scrabble.

It might seem strange to use these words in such contexts and no doubt you’ll have to explain yourself for more elaborate examples, but simple use is the best way to ingrain them in your mind so that you have them ready when you need them.

Flash fiction is good for writers who can’t face the idea of embarking upon or continuing with a major project. Writing little stories and vignettes as short as a single paragraph can be enough to stave off a chronic case of literary inertia.

It sounds strange, but even putting some creative flair into your emails, letters and notes can help tap into the imaginative reserves stored somewhere upstairs.

As a starter, find some pieces of literature that are esteemed because of the way they handle sex. Then find some that are derided for their approach to it. Reading through these and comparing the two sets will give you a good idea of what works and what doesn’t.

When you’ve written a sex scene, read it back to yourself out loud and then ask someone else to read it through. Even people who aren’t avid readers can recognise a cheesy sex scene when they read it. If yours has the desired effect then include it, but if there’s any doubt then set it aside for redrafting.

Perhaps the most important thing with sex in fiction is to write with confidence. The more confident and unabashed you are in your style, the more convincing and authoritative the scene ought to turn out.

The notion behind this is not to try and use derivative techniques in your own writing, but to garner inspiration from the work of writers who are masters at their art. You are likely to learn a thing or two about rhythm, plot structure and style along the way and this can only be a good thing.

Even if reading extensively simply shows you what techniques you don’t want to use in your own work, you will benefit as an artist.

A writer’s journal can perform this function, as well as its primary: opening your imagination. If you make sure you write in it at least every few days, about what you’ve seen, your ponderings on things, and ideas you may have had you will really start to notice a difference. Even if it starts out being a bit like a diary, it will soon morph into an imagination portal, where you can really put those crazy things in your head into words.

Why not use the back pages of your journal as a notebook – for ideas and jottings when out and about – and the front as an actual journal? Two birds with one stone. Or something like that.

What he meant (rather than brutal child murder), is that your favourite line in a poem, or paragraph in a story, or chapter in a novel , probably needs to be taken out. A horrifying thought for anyone new to writing or who is only just becoming accustomed to others’ feedback, I know, but a necessary one none the less.

Be prepared to see your writing from someone else’s point of view. You may think that this particular image is poignant, beautiful, lyrical and meaningful, when in actual fact it is just pretentious, pompous drivel.
The bottom line is to get over yourself, and be aware that if you want to write for other people, you have to listen to other people and admit the fact that you don’t always know best.

Try this for size:

“Jason entered the room sheepishly, trying not to be noticed. He sat down on the back row, gently, so the chair didn’t creak.”

Or

“Jason slowly opened the door and slipped through. He made his way to an empty seat at the end of the back row and sat down, taking care not to move the creaky plastic chair.”

The latter suggests the first, and though it uses more words to do so, it gives the reader a clearer impression of what is happening. Actions speak louder than words (while we’re on clichés) so make sure your writing is full of actions and movement, not stilted phrases and explanations.

Writers should always read over the text they have just written to check for inconsistencies or grammatical errors. Those who think that they can type away forever and not make a mistake are only kidding themselves.

A good technique for reading over text is to leave your work for a few hours before re-reading and then editing it. Sleeping on an article you have completed is a great way to take a step back and reflect on what you have written. Any work you do that is rushed, and written at the last minute, will not be up to the much needed high standard that you must set yourself, if your ultimate aim is to become a professional writer.

Readers always want to feel like they are part of the story so they can visualise the experience. This way they can create a picture of the story being told or the surroundings of the descriptive text. If you use descriptive words and terms throughout your text, including references to past experiences or things that the general public can connect with, you are well on the way to captivating your audience.

If your readers cannot visualise what you are trying to say, or do not have empathy for one of your characters, this can immediately leave them feeling alienated and hence they will soon get bored and stop reading your text.