36 Professional Writing Techniques

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 stars (785 students)

Over my career, I learned 36 writing techniques that changed the way I write.

Hi, I'm Teng, a professional novelist. In this course, I'll teach you these techniques.

This course is designed for novelists and short story writers of any skill level. This course is self-paced. You will need to login to track your progress.

5.0 stars | 400+ enrolled | 100% money-back guarantee

What You'll Learn

In this course, you'll get 36 concrete, actionable tips to take your writing to the next level. Each tip is a lesson that comes with multiple examples. The lessons are split into 6 parts:

Part 1: Word Choice


  1. Avoid filter words

  2. Nothing begins

  3. Use smaller words

  4. One word, one meaning

  5. Use adverbs sparingly

  6. Treat adjectives like adverbs

  7. Activate your description

  8. Stop thinking

Part 2: Sentence Construction


  1. Vagueness is your enemy

  2. Use simple sentences

  3. Avoid lazy repeats

  4. Doer first

  5. Visual metaphor, not cliche

  6. Hide the narrator

  7. Negation is not good

  8. Never hedge

Part 3: Paragraph & Scene


  1. Never summarize

  2. One paragraph, one purpose

  3. Whitespace makes prose more readable

  4. Bury your world building

Part 4: Character-Writing


  1. Character labels can be context dependent

  2. Detail is in the eye of the beholder

  3. Characters need goals

  4. Physical descriptions are mostly unnecessary

  5. A nervous tic goes a long way

Part 5: Action & Dialogue


  1. Short means fast

  2. Begin first, setup later

  3. Everyone should always be doing something

  4. ‘Said’ is still king

  5. Dialogue means conflict

  6. Resist the urge to resolve

  7. Attribution is often not necessary

Part 6: Rhythm & Flow


  1. Sound it out

  2. Grammar is overrated

  3. Vary sentence length and structure

  4. Add modifiers to sentences

  5. Hit the brakes at the right time

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How It Works

The 36 Professional Writing Techniques course is self-paced.

You won't get daily emails from me (imagine 36 emails!). Instead, you can login at any time to view the lessons and track your progress.

Everything You Get:

  • 36 Writing Techniques to level-up your writing

  • Self-Paced Lessons you can do and review at any time

  • Dozens of Examples to help you understand and apply these techniques

Here's how I'll help you succeed:

  • 24 Hour Email Support, where I answer all your writing questions

  • Lifetime Access to the Course, so you can learn at your own pace

  • 100% Money-Back Guarantee, so you can learn without worry

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Who It's For

The 36 Professional Writing Techniques is for writers of every skill level.

The value you get from this self-paced course will depend on your level of experience:

1. Beginner Writers:

You will get dozens of writing tips you can apply immediately to improve your writing.

2. Intermediate Writers:

You will understand what makes published novels so great — and how to level up your own writing.

3. Experienced Writers:

You will smooth out the rough edges in your work and fix the mistakes holding you back.

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What Students Are Saying

Since we launched Mastering Fiction, we've had over 3000 satisfied students, ranging from beginners to traditionally-published authors.

Here's what our students are saying:

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FAQs (Common Questions and Answers)

What are the 36 writing techniques?

Over my 4 year writing career, I kept a notebook filled with everything I learned about writing great fiction.

These 36 techniques are taken from my writer's notebook.

I paid for these techniques with sweat and tears, so I know they're good.

Does this course take a long time?

It depends. If you go through one lesson a day, it'll take just over a month. If you did 6 lessons a day, you'll be done in under a week.

The point is not to rush through these techniques. The point is to read, absorb, and understand them, so you can apply them to your own writing.

How do I get started?

It's easy!

  1. Click any "Join the Course" button

  2. Enter your email on the next page.

  3. Enter your payment information (PayPal or Credit Card).

  4. Follow the instructions.

That's it! Remember to finish making your account on the last page. You won't receive the course emails unless you have an active account.

If you run into any issues, please email me at Teng@MasteringFiction.com and I'll help you sort it out.

Do I need writing experience to take this course?

No, you don't need writing experience. This course will build your writing foundations from the ground up — the right way.

I am an experienced writer. Can I still take this course?

Absolutely. Most of our students are experienced writers. Some of our students are published authors who write full-time.

Can I do the course at my own pace?

Of course! You can take as long as you need.

How long does each lesson take?

Each lesson/technique takes about 15 minutes to read. I recommend taking it slow, so you have time to absorb.

Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day. You're not gonna learn every technique by tomorrow. Don't rush.

Will my access to the course ever expire?

Your access never expires.

What kind of course is it?

This is an instructive course

Each technique comes with a writing tip, an explanation, and a few examples.

Are there videos?

No, the 36 Secret Techniques Course is a text based instructional course.

There are about 15,000 words of text instruction, which is the length of a novella - or approximately 7 hours of video content.

What is your refund policy?

Your satisfaction is absolutely guaranteed. We have a 100% Money Back Guarantee. Before 11:59PM on the 30th day, if you're unhappy for ANY reason, just reply to any of the emails and I'll refund the entire purchase price no questions asked!

Can I pay with PayPal?

Of course! You can choose to pay with PayPal or credit card. Your information is always secure.

Who are you?

My name is Teng Rong. I'm a two-time award-winning author (IBPA Ben Franklin 2022 and Library Journal IAP 2022). I'm the Managing Editor at Fictionalist.co, a writing advice newsletter read by 7000+ writers.

I have questions about something else.

I'm happy to answer your questions!

Just drop me an email at Teng@MasteringFiction.com and I will be delighted to help you out.

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✅ Our 100% Money-Back Guarantee

At Mastering Fiction, we want your learning experience to be as pleasant and worry-free as possible. That's why we have a 100% money-back guarantee.

Here's my promise:

Within 12 days, if you're unhappy for ANY reason, I'll refund the entire purchase price — no questions asked!

About Me

Hey there! My name is Teng Rong. I'm a 2x award-winning novelist (2022 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award & 2022 Library Journal IAP for best YA Novel).

Since 2020, I've written over 1.5 million words of fiction. My first novel sold over 13,900 copies. In addition, I sold over $100,000 in story commissions under various pen names.

I am the Managing Editor for Fictionalist.co, the internet's leading writing advice newsletter.

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