10 Techniques for Better Entertainment Writing

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 10 July 2023 10 min read

1. Craft Captivating Introductions

4. Weave-in Relevant Backstories

5. Employ Effective Dialogue Writing

6. Utilize Pop Culture References

7. Create Unique Character Voices

Imagine you're sitting at your writing desk, sipping on your favorite brew, and your mind is buzzing with ideas. You're ready to tell a story that will captivate, entertain, and keep your audience coming back for more. But how do you ensure your writing is not just good, but great? How do you transform your ideas into a compelling narrative? How do you improve writing for entertainment? This blog will guide you through ten practical techniques that can help you elevate your writing game—whether you're a seasoned writer or just starting out.

1. Craft Captivating Introductions

Say you're writing an episode for a popular Netflix series or an article for Rolling Stone. Either way, the first few lines you write are critical. They're your hook, your bait to reel in the audience. Here's how you can improve writing for entertainment by crafting captivating introductions:

Start with a bang: Kick off your story with something unexpected or surprising. This could be an intriguing quote, a dramatic event, or a bold statement.
Introduce a mystery: Use your introduction to hint at a puzzle or a question that needs solving. This will pique your audience's curiosity and keep them reading on.
Set the mood: Use your words to paint a vivid picture of the setting or the mood. This helps immerse the reader in your story from the get-go.
Give them a taste: Tease your audience with a glimpse of what's to come. This could be a hint at the story’s climax or a snapshot of an interesting character.

Remember, your introduction is your first impression. Make it count. Doing so will set the stage for successful entertainment writing. Our next technique, painting pictures with words, will help you further engage your audience. Stay tuned!

2. Paint Pictures with Words

Have you ever found yourself so engrossed in a book or a script that you felt like you were part of the story? That's the magic of descriptive writing. But how can you improve writing for entertainment by painting pictures with words? Let's explore:

Use vivid language: Choose words that create a clear, strong image in your audience's mind. Instead of simply saying "the room was messy," you might say, "the room was a battlefield of discarded clothes, crumpled papers, and half-empty coffee mugs."
Engage the senses: Don't just tell, show. Describe what the characters are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and feeling. This will make your audience feel like they're right there in the scene.
Be specific: Instead of saying, "he drove fast," say, "he zipped through the winding roads at 80 miles per hour." Being specific helps paint a clearer picture.
Use metaphors and similes: These can help create imagery and convey emotions. For example, "her eyes were as cold as ice" or "he was a lion in the boardroom."

By painting pictures with your words, you can transport your audience into the world of your story, making it a more engaging and immersive experience. With some practice, this technique can significantly improve your entertainment writing. Now, let's add some fun to the mix and learn how to infuse humor and wit into your writing!

3. Infuse Humor and Wit

Adding humor and wit to your entertainment writing can make it more enjoyable for your audience. But how can you do this without falling flat? Here are some tips:

Understand your audience: What do they find funny? What are their interests? Using humor that your audience can relate to will make your writing more engaging.
Use wordplay: Puns, rhymes, and clever word choices can bring a smile to your reader's face. For example, instead of writing "he was always late," you could say "he had a permanent relationship with tardiness."
Include funny situations: Situational humor can be a great way to lighten up your writing. Think of a situation that's likely to induce laughter and incorporate it in your story.
Use irony: Irony, when used correctly, can create comedic moments. It involves saying one thing but meaning another, usually the opposite. For instance, calling a tall person "Shorty."

Remember, humor is subjective, so what's funny to you may not be funny to others. But with a good understanding of your audience and a bit of creativity, you can infuse your entertainment writing with humor and wit that resonates. It's all about making your readers feel a range of emotions, and laughter is one of the best ones to evoke. Ready to dive deeper into the world of entertainment writing? Let's look at how weaving in relevant backstories can enhance your narrative.

4. Weave-in Relevant Backstories

Backstories give depth to your characters, making them more relatable and interesting. But how exactly do you integrate backstories into your writing without disrupting the flow of the main plot? Let's see:

Drop hints: Rather than revealing a character's entire backstory at once, drop hints about it throughout your writing. This can pique your reader's interest and keep them engaged.
Use flashbacks: A well-placed flashback can provide insight into a character's past, helping to explain their present behavior or situation. For example, a character who's afraid of water might have a flashback to a childhood incident involving a near-drowning.
Dialogue: Characters can reveal parts of their pasts through conversations with others. This can be a more natural way of introducing backstory than a direct narrative.
Use objects or settings: A character's belongings or the places they frequent can tell a lot about their past. For instance, a character who always wears a particular necklace might later reveal that it was a gift from a loved one they lost.

Weaving in relevant backstories can make your characters feel more real to your readers, drawing them deeper into your narrative. It's a key technique in learning how to improve writing for entertainment. But remember, the backstory should always serve the main story. If it doesn't contribute to your narrative or character development, it might be best to leave it out. Ready to continue our journey? Up next: effective dialogue writing.

5. Employ Effective Dialogue Writing

Dialogue brings your story to life. It’s a tool that gives your characters a voice and drives the story forward. So, how can you make your dialogue more effective when you're trying to improve writing for entertainment? Here are some tips:

Make it sound natural: Read your dialogue out loud. Does it sound like a conversation you could overhear in real life? If not, you might need to make some adjustments. Avoid overly formal language and let your characters speak like real people.
Use dialogue to show, not tell: Instead of using dialogue to directly state facts or information, use it to show your characters' personalities, feelings, and relationships. For example, instead of writing "Susan was angry at John," you could write a dialogue where Susan uses sharp, short sentences to speak to John.
Break up dialogue with action: Too much dialogue can become monotonous. Break it up with action or description to keep the pace lively and maintain reader interest.
Keep it concise: In real life, people often speak in short sentences and phrases—not long, drawn-out paragraphs. Keep your dialogue concise to reflect this.

Mastering dialogue is no small feat—it can take lots of practice. But once you've got it down, it can be a powerful tool in your entertainment writing arsenal. Ready to dive into the world of pop culture references? Let's go!

6. Utilize Pop Culture References

Pop culture references can add a layer of relatability and humor to your writing. They can make your readers feel more connected to your work, as they recognize and appreciate references to their favorite movies, TV series, music, and more. So, how can we leverage these references to improve writing for entertainment? Let's explore:

Stay Current: Pop culture is always changing, with new trends emerging all the time. Staying up-to-date with the latest movies, music, and viral trends can provide a wealth of material for your writing.
Know Your Audience: Make sure the references you use are appropriate for your audience. For instance, if you're writing for a younger audience, they may not get a reference to a 1980s TV show. On the other hand, older readers may not be familiar with the latest TikTok trends.
Don't Overdo It: While pop culture references can add flavor to your writing, too many can be overwhelming and distracting. Use them sparingly and strategically.
Use Them to Illustrate Points: You can use pop culture references to highlight points or ideas in your writing. For example, if you're discussing perseverance, you might reference a popular movie character who embodies this trait, like Rocky Balboa.

Pop culture references can give your writing a fun, contemporary feel, but remember — the best pop culture references are those that enhance your story, not distract from it. Now, are you ready to give your characters a voice of their own?

7. Create Unique Character Voices

Creating unique character voices is a surefire way to make your entertainment writing more engaging and memorable. But how to improve writing for entertainment using this technique? Here are some practical tips:

Understand Your Characters: A character's voice should reflect their personality, background, and experiences. Spend time developing a deep understanding of your characters — their hopes, fears, quirks, and secrets. This understanding will inform their voice.
Vary Your Voices: Each character should have a distinct voice. Mix up their vocabulary, speech patterns, and tone to differentiate them from each other. This variety will make your story more dynamic and interesting.
Stay Consistent: Once you've established a character's voice, stay consistent with it. Consistency helps your readers to understand and relate to your characters better.
Use Dialogue Wisely: Dialogue is a powerful tool in character development. It's not just about what your characters say, but how they say it. Use dialogue to reveal character traits and emotions, and to advance the plot.

Remember, a character's voice is more than just their spoken words. It's an expression of who they are. By mastering this technique, you can breathe life into your characters and make your writing truly unforgettable. Now, are you ready to take your story to the next level with suspense and drama?

8. Build Suspense and Drama

Injecting suspense and drama into your writing is like adding spice to a dish—it takes the experience from bland to thrilling. But how can you improve writing for entertainment by building suspense and drama? Here's a step-by-step guide.

Establish High Stakes: The stakes in your story create tension. If your characters have a lot to lose or gain, your readers will be more invested in their journey. So, what's at stake in your story? Love, life, treasure, or perhaps the fate of the world?
Keep Readers in the Dark: Suspense thrives on uncertainty. By withholding information and keeping readers guessing, you'll keep them hooked. Remember Alfred Hitchcock's bomb theory: it's not the explosion that's suspenseful—it's the anticipation.
Use Cliffhangers: Cliffhangers are an age-old technique for building suspense. End your chapters or sections on a note of uncertainty to make your readers eager for what's coming next.
Heighten the Drama with Conflict: Conflict is the lifeblood of drama. Whether it's internal conflict within a character or external conflict with other characters or the environment, conflict adds complexity and depth to your story.

Remember, suspense and drama are about more than just shocking plot twists. They're about creating an emotional rollercoaster that keeps your readers on the edge of their seats. So, are you ready to turn the suspense dial up a notch in your writing? The next technique might just help you do that.

9. Master the Art of Timing

Perfecting the art of timing is crucial if you're looking to improve writing for entertainment. Timing in writing is like rhythm in music—it gives your narrative a beat, a pulse, a pace. But how can you hit the right tempo? Let's break it down.

Pacing: The speed at which your story unfolds can greatly affect its impact. A fast pace can inject adrenaline and intensity into action scenes while a slower pace can help build tension or delve deeper into a character's thoughts and emotions. Remember, variety is the key—too much of either can bore or exhaust your readers.
Flashbacks and Foreshadowing: Playing with time is a brilliant way to create suspense or add layers to your story. Flashbacks can provide valuable insight into a character's past and motivations, while foreshadowing can hint at events yet to come, keeping your readers hooked.
Timing of Reveals: When and how you reveal key information can make or break your story. Too early, and you risk losing the element of surprise. Too late, and it might feel like a cheap trick. The best reveals are often those that have been hinted at subtly throughout the story, making the payoff feel both surprising and satisfying.

Timing is a tricky thing to master, but with practice and careful attention, it can become one of your greatest storytelling tools. And remember, great timing isn't just about what happens—it's about when it happens. So, are you ready to play with time and master the art of timing in your writing?

10. End with a Bang

Ever read a fantastic book or watched an engrossing movie only to be left disappointed by the ending? It's a common pitfall in entertainment writing. However, when you're figuring out how to improve writing for entertainment, you'll want to ensure that your stories always end with a bang. Here's how:

Resolution: Tie up all loose ends. Ensure every subplot and character arc reaches a satisfactory conclusion. While open-ended endings can be intriguing, they must be handled with care to avoid leaving readers feeling frustrated or confused.
Surprise: Throw in an unexpected twist. Just when your audience thinks they know how things are going to pan out, flip the script. This doesn't mean you have to shock them with a dramatic turn of events; a simple, unexpected character decision can be equally effective.
Emotional Impact: Strive to evoke strong emotions. Whether it's joy, sadness, relief, or shock, an emotional ending is one that sticks with readers long after they've finished your story.

Remember, your ending is your last chance to leave an impression on your audience, so make it count. And there you have it, ten techniques to help you improve writing for entertainment. So, are you ready to craft captivating introductions, paint vibrant pictures with your words, infuse humor and wit, weave in engaging backstories, and master the art of timing to end your stories with a bang? Let's get started!

If you're looking to improve your entertainment writing skills, don't miss the opportunity to explore the workshop 'Treatment Writing For Documentaries' by Reshelshah. This workshop will not only enhance your storytelling abilities but also provide valuable insights into crafting compelling treatments for documentary projects. Expand your writing horizons and apply these techniques to your entertainment writing and beyond!