Consistency is Key

If you're anything like me, it drives you nuts when you're reading something and things just aren't consistent. But it's easier to find those glaring mistakes when you're reading someone else's work instead of your own. So how do you keep things consistent in your own writing? Here are a few tips and tricks I've found work well for me and hopefully will help you too.

1) Keep Notes

I like to write the old fashion way, with a notebook and pen, so I usually have a few scraps of paper in the front of my notebook to write down important details I think I'll need later on in the book. This can be anything from small character details to a certain nickname a character calls another character.

The point is that I have easy access to these notes when I need them. If you're the kind of writer who writes on the computer, you can have a small notebook next to your workstation for these notes. Or you could have a separate document on your computer where you store these notes, it doesn't really matter where you make your notes as long as it works for you and it's in a place that's easy to get to when you need them.

2) Visualize Where You're Going

If you're a fantasy writer like myself, chances are you've had to do some worldbuilding in your writing. Even if your writing is based in this world, you need to make sure your readers understand the world you're trying to show them in your work. If things are inconsistent, it can jar the reader out of the world and make it harder to be engrossed in the story. If your character is driving from Boston to Phoenix, research the route. If you've created your own world, figure out how the countries connect.

You don't have to spend a lot of time on this, just enough that you as the writer can guide the reader through your story easily. I myself am a visual learner, so I drew out maps of my world so I could see exactly how everything fit together. The above image is the map of my world that I did on Inkarnate.com . Do as much or as little as you feel you need, the point is just to have a working knowledge of wherever you're telling your story.

3) Understand Your Story Arc

No matter how original your story ideas are if you don't understand how to build your story your readers will have a hard time getting into it. Keep in mind that your story arc can be different from the one pictured here. Your beginning can be shorter, the climax closer to the end, or not everything gets resolved in the end.

Your arc should be built to suit your style of writing, just make sure you are able to convey your story in a way the reader feels they can engage with. If you are writing a series, not only do you need to have a story arc for each story but you also need to have a series arc for the series as a whole. Keep this in mind as you write and keep some things unresolved for your characters to resolve in the next book to help tie everything together.

4) Share your Work

Two sets of eyes are better than one. No matter how many times you read and re-read your work, you're bound to miss something. Having someone you trust to read through your work is a great help in finding those pesky mistakes that like to hide from your eyes. This is also a good way to make sure that your story is consistent and easy to follow.

5) Stay on Target

One of the best ways to stay consistent is to keep details relevant. If you have a bunch of details that don't really advance your story, chances are you'll start to wander. Do as many details as you need to tell your story but keep in mind that you need to keep track of each of them.

These tips and tricks have really helped me be more consistent in my writing and with a little practice and patience, they can help you as well. Good luck and keep writing!