I can only speak for myself, but challanging myself or trying different things has been a big part of learning and expanding my limits. Or even just thinking about different writing styles and genres, and thinking 'okay, how would I write a Worm fanfic like this?' as a mental exercise.

On a more practical level, beyond the age old advice of 'just write' I've found that setting myself personal challanges with limitations has helped me improve in specific areas. For example, writing a story focused around demons where every chapter is 666 words helped me focus on learning word economy, or a story where I wrote a short chapter every day helped me practice writing at speed, etc).

I don't think you have a lack of proficiency, just a matter of exposure. Keep at it! :)

Edit: Really need to get an author tag for this account somehow.

You get better at writing by writing. By reading widely, not just fanfiction but well regarded novels. But at the end of the day it’s the same as any other skill. You get better with practice.

Everyone looks up words from time to time, it's something that's part of the process as you figure out flow and intention better. It's like erasing a stroke and redoing it in art. I use https://www.onelook.com/thesaurus/ for when I really can't grab that word I know but can't remember for whatever reason.

I've found that reading a lot helps with getting better at writing. If you really like what you're reading, break it down, and figure out what specific elements you like. Then borrow them, use them in your own works when you can. For example, I really liked the detailed descriptions of stimuli during distress in Albert Camus's The Stranger, and so I started using it in my fic whenever Taylor was having a mental episode. Fanfic is insular by nature, so I read usually read published fiction from every genre in addition to fanfic to expand my horizons. Just picking one good book and dissecting it helps a lot.

Writing a lot helps too. It's the boring kind of advice that's easy to say and hard to execute, but hey, it just works.

The others have given very good advice already but I wanted to add my grain of sand too.

The only way to get better at writing is writing, simply enough. You have to write drafts, you have to produce trash, and you have to fail and fail until you get it right. Getting it 'right' is also tricky because what may be good for you may not be good for readers. Your rhythm may be shaky, or your command of language may not be the most elegant. It will help you immensely if people point it out to you, since you will simply not notice what's wrong if you don't have a clear metric in your mind. Reviews have helped me a good deal, not only in terms of writing itself, but also in receiving criticism, which is a crucial skill to foster if you're producing for an audience.

However, it's also extremely important you read. Read a lot. You don't have to finish 20 books by the end of the week, but you could make an effort to read... I don't know, a chapter from a story you like once a day, or maybe even an article from a newspaper. Anything at all. Reading within your interests furthers your expertise in them; reading outside your interests expands your horizons and gives you more material to work with. As long as you're reading something, it's good for you as a writer. It helps you establish your standards, and in trying to meet them, your works will steadily become more solid.

I'm not a native speaker either but I like to think I'm at least decent as a writer. So drop any preconceived notions about not being good enough, or lacking proficiency, or whatever. None of those matter. Just read, write, and eventually you'll get something nice out of it.

(Also, again, read, please. Many writers, me included, make the mistake of getting absorbed into our own work and then we forget there's other books besides the one inside our heads. Reading is as important as writing.)

First off, it's fine to look something up if you are unsure. I'd say it's good practice even, since it helps avoid mistakes/misunderstandings. Also, this might seem counterintuitive, but I find that proportionally non-native speakers are better than native ones when it comes to writing, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Anyways, my experience is really only with academic writing, but I think quite a bit carries over here. So, in short: practice and proofread.

Basically write something and go over it a few times to find flaws. From spelling mistakes to logical inconsistencies. It's better if you can have someone do this since what makes sense to you (who already has the story in your head) might not to someone else since you have background info or context they don't have. If you can't find someone else to proofread, then a trick is to wait a few days so you kinda forget what you wrote and can review it as a reader who is seeing it for the first time,

Another trick I was taught was to map out what you want to write. A story has an introduction, a journey and an end. Everything should be connected and flow naturally. If you know where the story is going you can plan arcs out in advance and try and connect the points. I think quite a few authors, even professional ones, start our with a an idea but fumble connecting plot points so they never reach the end.

From what I've observed with fanfic writers, here are some common mistakes:

There's the old adage "less is more." Lots of writers get bogged down in details. As a reader I don't need to know how a plasma sword is made, or how the MC figures out how to modify the Krebs cycle to get 10% more energy. There's quite a few stories that get bogged down in details that are frankly irrelevant to the story (looking at you, BCF), and that just make it a slog to read.

I would say brush up on dialog tags. This is kind of a pet peeve of mine, but I've noticed that most writers almost always use "said." And that's fine most of the time, but you can use something else to convey meaning/emotion.

For example, when something is said quietly, you can use

“It’s going to be okay,” she said softly.

“I can't believe it,” she murmured.

“Don’t move,” he whispered.

“Are you trying to get us killed?” she hissed.

“You came back,” he breathed.

“Unbelievable,” she said under her breath.

“This is a bad idea,” he muttered.

“Figures,” she grumbled.

“If you say so,” he drawled.

“I can’t do this,” he whispered shakily.

“Not again,” she sighed.

Knowing how to use dialogue tags can completely the atmosphere/emotional tone, if you use it right.

“I didn’t mean to,” he whispered, backing toward the door.

“I didn’t mean to,” she murmured, staring at her hands.

“I didn’t mean to,” he hissed, jaw clenched.

“I didn’t mean to,” she said under her breath, rolling her eyes.

“I didn’t mean to,” she said, voice barely audible.

“I didn’t mean to,” he muttered, shame on his face.

“I didn’t mean to.” His voice was flat, distant.

All this might be a lot to take in, so I'll end with this: “perfect is the enemy of good.” I've seen quite a few authors put off chapters because they couldn't get it "just right." And while it's good to try and improve your work, past a certain point if you obsess over every detail, you end up with nothing. From personal experience it becomes sort a loop where you go "well I've taken so long already and it still isn't just right so I'll just take a bit longer to make it better." I think most readers understand that you're writing essentially as a hobby and to learn, and mistakes happen. But that shouldn't hold you back from putting your work out. You can’t improve something that doesn’t exist yet.

From what I've seen authors who set a schedule with release dates set tend to do better than authors who just release chapters when they want.

My honest opinion as a writer myself is actually thus:

read more. A lot more.

Specifically, read more older, traditionally published fiction, especially scifi and fantasy series. Aim for like… 80’s - 00’s.

It comes down to something I’ve notice more and more and more of late — that waaaaaay to much fanfiction and self-published fiction reads like, well, like Japanese Light Novels or Manga. Characterization is at a minimum, plots are incredibly basic, descriptive prose and dialogue suffer immensely, and it isn’t unusual for characters to act entirely unlike normal people.

I, personally, put my own skill at writing down to simply having consumed what are probably billions of words worth of novels growing up. Because I know what good pacing, good grammar, good characterization, etc, etc, etc looks like thanks to being a voracious reader during a time where self publishing wasn’t the norm, where you could, generally, pick up any scifi or fantasy novel off a shelf at the local Borders and at least expect it to be passable.

Don’t get me wrong — it isn’t that there aren’t great fanfiction authors out there. There are. And plenty of good original fiction authors have gotten their start doing fanfic. Same goes for people putting up stuff on Amazon Kindle. (Hell, some of them have posted here already)

But it is simply a fact that these days, for every 10 fics I start reading, maybe only 1-2 of them are actually written worth a damn enough for me to stick with. Don’t let that be your baseline.

Yes, writing frequently helps you refine your own style, helps you learn how to sift good ideas from bad. But first you need to know what good writing should look like, before you start trying to develop your own style.

——————-

(Edit: Also, yes actually, I will be that guy and suggest you not use Worm as a base either. While I love it death, It was Wildbow’s first work, after all. He had a fantastic sense of characterization, but his prose style left a lot to be desired. I could go on at length, but here’s a good example:

————

See if you can give me, via quotes from Worm, a comprehensive physical description of Squealer, a commonly used character in Worm fanfication. What she is actually said to look like in canon. Hair, eyes, looks, clothes, etc. See if you can paint a good, specific, non-generic image of her.

The absolute best way to improve your writing is simply practice. Try to set aside some time each day to write, and stick to it. If that feels daunting, tell yourself you're gonna write from 9-10pm each night for two weeks, and then reassess. At the end of the two weeks, it'll be a lot easier to keep going than when you started.

That's the practical side of the skill. The theoretical side comes from consuming more stories. Specifically, study them. Treat writing your story like an exam and other stories like your textbooks. Don't just read a fic or watch a show -- think deeply about what you do and don't enjoy in the story and why that is. Would you change anything? Who's your favorite character? Is there a scene that hits particularly hard? Try to turn reading into a conscious exercise where you pin down what makes a story work. That will make it easier to reproduce the sort of story you enjoy and mitigate the parts you don't.

I'll go against the grain a bit here and say that writing, alone, is not the way to become a better writer. It's not a matter of practice if you practice the wrong way. You need to read. You need to read a lot. And not just fanfiction slop that falls under Sturgeon's law either. Most people don't read as often as they should and I see a lot of amateur author's always asking "do I have to read to write?" Yes.

>> I'm rereading Worm. Slowly, taking my time, with the same amount of attention on each and every word. Wildbow is really good at putting in the word count and also making it flow.

B-b-bingo baby!

Look, as a writer, sometimes, it's helpful to approach things like books in different ways. Don't view them just as entertainment. If you're looking to write, they are resources. They show you how to do a lot of interesting things. Study what you read, compare and contrast it to your own work. If the thing your reading is doing something your own writing flubbed, take a moment, take a deep breath, and trying to figure out why.

Putting in the word count and making it flow has a lot to do with practice. Of course, you need to know the right thing to practice.

FWIW, I write things like this;

The pin of plutonium slammed into the shaped parent core, and critically was achieved. Deep in the flesh of an alien that had sought to become god, X-rays poured outwards and were absorbed by the flesh and liquid that surrounded the warhead, vaporizing both into a plasma that sought to expand. Confined by the body and with nowhere to go, the energy converted into a shock-wave that crushed everything for hundreds of meters around it while streamers of heat flooded upwards through the thin shaft punched by the burrowing warhead.

On the surface, hundreds of whisped stalks reached for the night sky and lit the land in stark contrast, deep shadows cast in the valleys beyond the horizon.

It was there in those shadows that something walked from the void that connects all things.

And I still have cause to look words up, particularly in the editing process. In my current work, that's more true than ever, particularly when I'm searching for archaic uses of words, and particular names for certain things.

It's better, I think, to understand that something is lacking so you can go search for it.

Hmmm.

Maybe this will help you; So I decided to start a new story in the marvel fandom, but I'm playing with a lot of more archaic english because 'Asgarðr', so I needed to get into this habit of writing in this really strange style that I wasn't used to, that used a lot of words I wasn't used to hearing. So. What did I do?

Well, I got audio versions of all of Shakespeare's plays, and I started listening to him until started picking up what I needed to.

Now, I'm doing stuff like this;

"Continue to deny her entrance, for I have no interest in bandying words with her whilst even now I toil to mend that which she has ruined. Summon Fulla and bid her to carry this message to Lord Hermóðr with all haste; When my youngest learn to ride, their steeds shall be bred by the house of Hermóðr. Two horses, gentle and true, quick to obey, slow to buck, and patient with my cherished young. What use have I for a war stallion as proud as it is arrogant, swift to trample upon the honor of two whom should have been as unto gods to her, and slow to repent? Your daughter lurks in my halls, continues to trouble my thoughts, and bothers the maidens whom attends me, seeking audience. You whom were elevated by worthy service rendered unto my husband during a time of war, this queen asks; who shall rid me of a most troublesome woman?"

It still needs editing of course, because that prose can be tightened and a lot of the modernisms removed as it suits, me, but you get the picture.

Oh, and I dropped this for you, king;

https://www.reddit.com/r/WormFanfic/comments/1mno5wq/how_to_right_write_stories_more_better/

The age old question. Unfortunately, the answer is practice.

I once heard someone say “once you’ve written a million words, you’re ready to begin.” I interpret the saying as you would think that after writing a lot, you would be a great writer but in reality, writing a lot just helps you understand writing better, and with that understanding you can improve, which means, in a way, every writer is always in the “I’m learning, I’m practicing” mindset.

Paying attention to how Wildbow writes is a good start. But can you apply what you learn? I’d maybe try writing short oneshots to practice.

Reading is an excellent way to become a better writer. Steal liberally from the techniques of published authors you like (Timothy Zahn is a HUGE inspiration for my writing), but not their words (like don't plagiarize). And of course, write stuff. Don't just limit yourself to fanfic, try and explore your own ideas if you have any! And if not, then keep writing fanfic and keep working to get better.

As with basically all art forms, I can't tell you what will work for you. What i can do is give what works for me, and maybe between that and everybody else's advice, you'll find the method that works for you.

For me, improvement didn't just come from writing more, but from writing under different constraints and in different genres. Writing under a tight deadline, writing in sci-fi when I prefer fantasy, writing scenes with only character dialogue. Having lots of experiences helps you to internalize your own approach. Looking at your writing, identifying the areas you think you're weakest in, and then setting yourself a challenge in order to improve in that area could be a helpful strategy.

Also, it could be helpful to get somebody to read your work, such as in a workshop setting. Having eyes and many opinions on your story can help you figure out what effect your writing has, and how to make it the effect you want. 

Avoid Said Bookisms.

The reason many authors stick to Said and Asked is because they're all that's required. The "he/she saids" are invisible to 90% of the audience. Said Bookism are crutches for dialogue that doesn't convey tone and are noted by readers whereas saids are not.

Relevant

They can be used, but should be limited as using Said or Asked works better vast majority of the time.

Pacing is essential. I hated Worm's pacing as I felt it drag endless, then carveened so hard I got whiplash once the Pace Killer made his debut and decided the story needed to skip ahead two years in less than ten thousand words when a million words was spent covering three months.

Beginning, middle and end. Have all three established before starting since it makes for much smooth writing than throwing things in at random (consequently, writing without any goal is a way to improve faster because written works will always be better than mere ideas).

R/writingcirclejerk is the greatest dispensary of advice conceivable.

Establish it is what you want. Do you maximum engagement? Taylor alt-power. SI/Greg. Avoid OCs protagonists because people want to read about their favorite characters, not the authors.

No matter what you do, you will never reach perfection. Accepting "good enough" is necessary. The entry bar for fanfiction (Worm fanfic being no exception) isn't low, it's nonexistent. An engaging summary, passable SPAG and a couple hours outlining, plotting and scripting means you've eclipsed the majority.

There's basically three things that go into improving your writing, or four if you want to count feedback from other people. Maybe five if you consider being taught in a formal/professional setting (school or college or some kind of course on writing). But if you want to count stuff you can do on your own without relying on other people, it's really just the three.

People have already mentioned two of them here, that being write (ideally a lot), and read (ideally a lot). I'll add that writing and reading with the specific intention of improving your craft is a somewhat different thing from doing either for pleasure. You need to pay more attention to the construction of what you're reading/writing, and why it does (or doesn't) work, instead of just enjoying it as you go. Be deliberate about it, take notes, compare and contrast, etc. Reading books on the craft of writing also helps, though outside the usual suspects it's going to be a coinflip if any given book is going to be helpful to you.

That just leaves the third thing, which I haven't seen anymore mention yet, and that is revision, editing, and/or postmortems.

Put simply, it just means that you get a lot of benefit from going back through things you've previously written and either doing a second (or third, or fifth, or fiftieth) draft. Even just going through and editing/revising can help you get context. Re-reading and working on your stories or snips can give you a huge amount of perspective, and often it's much easier to notice and correct errors or flaws after letting something sit for a week or a month, which will then help you notice and avoid said errors or flaws in the future.

A postmortem is similar, but without the intent of creating a new draft. You go through something you've written, and study it in the same way you'd study someone else's work. Figure out what works for you, what doesn't, and try to figure out why. Make notes. Come to conclusions. Give yourself a rating, and try to be objective about it. Most importantly, find out where and how you think you could improve. Personally I think editing or re-writing gives more benefit, but there's a significant cost in time and effort for those, whereas a postmortem is comparatively quick and easy, while still giving notable benefits.

Edit: Also, I don't personally think that skill in writing is based on any kind of inherent proficiency. *Anyone* can get better at writing. *Anyone* can write something good. What really matters is the effort you put in. While anyone can write something good, nobody is going to be doing that without a huge pile of less-good works behind them.

Practice.