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Prosithion
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 Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2007 1:18 am Post subject: |
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| I suggest reading a lot! After a while, you get an idea of what's good writing and what isn't. Then, you can take what you've gleaned from these books and convert them for your own use. |
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Samara
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| Posted: Mon May 28, 2007 12:35 am Post subject: |
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Everytime you go through an experience that makes you cry or laugh hysterically - write it down. whether its a paragraph, a short story, or a full blown novel, write it down. write about what it smelled like, what it tasted like, what it felt like.
Characters similar to yourself are the easiest to write about.
And this tip i got from Stephenie Meyer (author of Twilight) - know your characters. know their birthdays, their favorite foods, their secret dreams. know everything about them. i have a notebook that is dedicated solely to bios on my characters. its really helpful. |
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DefJam101
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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I'm no writing expert, but if there's anything I can really tell you is to not focus on one part of the characters.
I.E.
They talk, they move, they think, they make expressions, if they DON'T talk, silence can mean a lot more than words in some places, what they look like, their past, their dreams for the future, etc.
Not only is this important, but you will ALWAYS think your writing sucks, it's just...natural. In fact our inability to critique ourselves properly is the very reason you post your work on these boards in the first place  |
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frenchpastry
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:43 am Post subject: |
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The best advice I was ever given (and which helped out my writing so much!) was just to read. Read anything, but especially the genre you are most interested in writing in. Look at how those authors write; take notice of dialouge, characters, actions, subtle messages.
The second best advice I was ever given is just to write. It might not be good at first, but you'll improve, and it's never ever too late to start.  You learn how to write well by writing and then figuring out what you need to change in order to improve it.
If you need any more help, please PM me. I can't say I'm some fabulous writer, but I feel as if I have improved a lot over these last few years. I use to be exactly where you are, and every writer goes through it. It's like painting for the first time, or drawing. There's no 'correct' way to do it, but you just have to try and figure it out over time. Once you become comfortable with how it works, you can explore and create amazing things.
Good luck to you! |
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Black Ghost
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:45 am Post subject: |
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Read "Techniques of the Selling Writer" by Dwight V. Swain. That's all you'll need to know. Really.
MM |
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Audy
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| Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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Just to post my own two cents, from all that I've gone through in the writing process...
The single most important thing you can do is just to write. Especially if you want to do novels and long-term things like that. Forget about making mistakes, you'll fix those later, but just write and have fun with it! Get everything written down from beginning to end and /then/ go back to look over it. I dunno if it might work for you, but what works for me is to get everything finished before I go back to edit for mistakes. It doesn't matter if you're not going to use that particular scene 2 months from now, write what comes natural.
Second thing, NEVER delete huge chunks. Save every draft, even if it sucks. Deleting is not going to help your writing, but improving it, revising it, taking it apart sentence by sentence and rewriting it to your satisfaction is ultimately what helps. I once wrote this long 10 page scene, I hated it /so/ much that I just deleted everything. A week later, I mourned for those 10 pages...I could never remember exactly quite what I had said before.
Now when going through a block, don't force your work to come out, but also don't procrastinate it until seven months had gone past and you no longer feel like writing the story anymore. Sometimes it helps to just take a day off-- only a day, and during that day you know what I do? I watch movies, I watch tv, not just anything though...I pay attention to characters and plot and the sequence of events and I ask myself questions during the commercial breaks. What did they do to get me to cry in this scene? Why does this character make me feel sorry for him? I also pay attention to facial expressions and little things like that and try to incorporate all these things in my writing. Sometimes when you don't feel like reading -- watching movies and television drama still works. Of course, reading is essentially what will make you a better writer, but I'm like you --I cannot read anything during the school week, only when I'm on vacation.
Sometimes, certain scenes are better written on paper. If you ever get stuck, try seeing if it'll come out better on paper. This really helps me a lot of the times. The thought process for typing and writing are very different.
Also, know the times when you feel the most comfortable to write. What I mean by that is: For me personally, I feel like my creative juices work best in the early mornings after I've woken up or in the very late hours like 12 PM-2 AM. This might not be the same for everyone, granted, but during those times, I always feel like clacking away at my keyboard and those are the times when my best quality writing comes out.
Last but not least, for me it has been very helpful to have someone reading my work as I type it. Not to edit my work --grant you, that'll come later when I'm finished with it -- but to supply me with comments. What do they like about this character? What about this scene, is it clear or confusing? How does this part here make you feel? --I was going for an eerie creepy tone. Usually I get my brother or a really good online friend of mine to read my stuff and supply me with these comments, and they've proved very helpful. They've practically /saved/ my story on many occasions and I can't thank them enough.
If you ever need anybody to read your work, you can always PM me ^^ I can correct pesky mistakes, I can tear your work to pieces if you want (and sometimes that is what all writers need!) but I can also supply you with much needed comments. It's all up to you. Like someone had said earlier, we're not trying to tear up your work because it sucks, we're only supplying unbiased critiques because we want you to improve and ultimately tough love is the only way to go. |
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| Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:25 am Post subject: |
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The thing about writing is, it's work. It's work just like anything else. It's fun work for most of us, but work nonetheless.
Which means you actually have to sit down and do it.
The idea sucks, doesn't it? lol!
Also, get to know your characters. You don't have to reveal everything you know, but the slightest thing can make your character natural or unnatural.
What I do is sit down and have a little chat with my prospective character.
No, I am not crazy.
Well, actually, maybe I am, but that's beside the point.
Sit down, close your eyes, and imagine a place where you're most likely to meet your character. Then ask him questions and write down his answers. As senile as it seems, it's actually quite helpful.
Good luck to you on your writing, mate! |
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Monki
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| Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:39 am Post subject: |
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| Well, all I can say is that personally, I dwell on description. I know, really bad. I bet all of you are gasping right now. I know, I know. Bad Monki. I need to work on dialogue really bad. But, all I can say is this : If you are one who dwells on description, try to dwell on dialogue for the next few days. Or vice versa. |
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MidnightVampire
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:12 am Post subject: |
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One simple tip...even though u may not need it much anymore.
Be creative! Wahoo creativity! Gotta love it, creativity may help you out anywhere.
Write whenever, always one way to help you, practice.
Ok, here's somthing I still have issues with, slowing something down. Don't go to fast.. things will get very confuzing.
Planing.... this is an agoniziing step that you don't have to take. though you may plan something, like this person is a spy, and put clues in. This will make any stabookie (Natalie's word by the way) better.
Characters. If you give a character some personality, it may have a great plot, but if your characters suck, then your book is doomed for eternity. give them a past, this person was abandoned as a child and always blamed herself because apparently her parents broke up after her birth. The mother was lonely and could not care for the child, therefore she dumped her on the front step of a orphanage. This may make the character trust no one, or maybe she envies every child who has a parent. Therefore it might make it hard for her to make friends. History matters.
Try not to make dialouge stiff. This is also something I have a hard time with if I don't know what to do. Don't make it forced.
Sorry if some of these things are repeats.
good luck. |
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spaced_out
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Here is what I do. I think and think, unttill I get an idea. Then I write it down.
space |
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Raimunda
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| Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject: Fret Not |
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Writing isn't a science. It's an art. And you have no reason to be scared of posting work, cause aint nobody here ever going to hunt you down and axe murder you for writing a less than par story. PROMISE
Just keep trying. Dive in at the deep end- post something. Learn from the critiques, appreciate the praise, and ignore anyone who says its rubbish, cause it aint their story. ITS YOURS, and you can do whatever with it. I'm no expert, and I can write just about as well as some of my classmates, but I have a feeling that with practice confidence and abilty in writing grows.
God I sound like my mother.
NOT GOOD.  |
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