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Young Writers Society


Writing Tips



How many members start writing and stay commited?

I do!
7
30%
I need critique on my idea first, just to make sure it is worthy to actually start.
7
30%
Not really.
0
No votes
I wish I could, but I usually end up forgetting about it!
9
39%
 
Total votes : 23


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Wed Jun 19, 2013 10:41 pm
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PixieStix says...



I've been asked a million questions on writing from new members of YWS. I just thought I'd create a thread for them to refrence to, since I couldn't find one. Everyone is free to use it, though!

When should you decide on your title?
In my experience, the title usually comes after the first chapter. Some people even wait until the end of the story to decide on one. You should wait, so that if you decide to revise your plot, the title going along with it would make sense. Also, your title should be eye-catching. Use something that if you were the person reading it, you'd be interested in reading it. Don't come up with a boring title. Usually, what I do, is try to come up with a title that no other book published has. Maybe even ask your friends if your title is creative. Don't use words in the title that your teachers don't even understand. For example- "Achromatisation Boustrophedonic".

Should I write a rough draft?
That all depends on how you write. For me, I don't, because my ideas come and go. For you, though, you might have to jitt down a couple of ideas to help your story continue. It also depends on what kind of literary you are writing. For poems, you could write down ideas, but not as detailed as you would in a novel. If you were writing a novel, you could always write a breif summary of the story before you write it, just to keep your ideas alive. But, after you write your first draft of your work, completed, you should go back and check over grammar, punctuation, and even change around a couple setences, or delete things that don't sound right. Read your work out loud. Make sure your setences are smooth and precise to the point.

What makes a good beginning?
A good beggining is a good hook. Some people start with a person speaking, or even a flashback to the history before the plot starts. In poems or lyrics, though, you usually start with the story or emotions beginning. If you start with something like, "And then..." or "To carry on..." , you are getting too far into the work already. Let the reader have a little bit of background. If you start with, "It all started..." or "I should've known that..." Then it would captivate the readers attention. Don't use baby vocabulary either, if you know what I mean. Use advanced words to knit together your plot, not "he said" or "she said" Or anything related to that. The first chapter is always the most important, because it depends wether the audience is going to keep reading or not.

How do I know wether the story is going somewhere or not?
You know wether to keep writing the story or to stop when you actually want to keep writing! :smt003 If you end up getting bored in the middle of your novel, you know its either time to begin a new plot or spice it up! Again, it's always best to get a peers opinion on your work. Don't feel bad if your writing doesn't work out, maybe you just have writers-block or the story just simply isnt working!

How long should my work be?
It depends on your plot. Your plot might be long, or take time. If you have a short plot, your novel could be shorter than usual. I'm pretty sure that all novels are different lengths. Take Harry Potter and The Hunger Games for example. The Hunger Games is around 400-500 pages, whereas the Harry Potter books range from 700-900 pages. IN poems, your work should be as long as it takes to get to the point.

Is the middle of the book the most important?
No, the middle of the book is just the most exciting, both for the writer and for the reader! :mrgreen: This is where the climax should happen. If I were to give you an example, I would say in the Hunger Games the climax is when Peeta and Katniss are fighting against Cato. And in Harry Potter the climax in one of the movies is when Dumbledore dies. It's suppost to be the part of the book with the best information or exposure, and should tell a different side of the characters that the readers did not know.

How should my novel end?
Your novel should end however you want it to, depending on what kind of literary you are writing. If it is a carry-on novel (which is a novel that has a sequel) end with a cliff-hanger to keep the audience reading. I find it easier to just write something that you wouldn't even expect yourself doing. Maybe even the opposite of what you'd see yourself writing. If you don't know how to end your novel, or if you want to just seal the story, end it with something that the reader will always remember. Wether is death, a happy-ending, or if it's just a plain old nobody-wins, your bound to be the great writer that you are meant to be!

What do I do now?
Relax and have people read your work! You've put alot of effort into this, and you deserve to be reconized! Remember though, all work is not liked. Some people might have different suggestions, but stick with your gut!

There are probrably thousands of people that would kill to read your work, and I'm sure that you'll get there!

-Pixie
Last edited by PixieStix on Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Thu Jun 20, 2013 1:10 am
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veeren says...



I think the title is a bit misleading. It makes you think that this is a guide to writing in general, when in fact it's like a guide to writing a fictitious novel (with a few tips for poetry thrown in here and there).

Not to undermine your knowledge or anything, but I thought I'd thrown in my two cents of what you've said here.
I'll put it in spoilers so you can ignore it if you'd like ;)

Spoiler! :
When should you decide on your title?
Honestly, as you basically said, this comes anytime you see fit. Whenever you find a word or phrase that you feel will work well with your piece of literature, just put it in some fancy font and stick it on the front of your work like a label.

However, you should never undermine your audience. Don't feel afraid to use a title because you don't think your readers will like it. Whether you write a play named 'The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade' or a children's book named 'Cat in the Hat', you're audience would pick it up regardless.

Trying to be original is a given, but trying to hard usually comes off as obvious and shows that you have a superficial view of what a reader does or doesn't want.

Should I write a rough draft?

I also agree with the Madam here; there is not always a need for this, particularly when you're writing short stories or poetry. These shorter works tend to have a more go-with-the-flow feel. Poetry especially tends to come from an expression of emotions rather that a plotted out set of events.

However, with longer and more detailed works, planning is nearly always essential. When writing a series for example, you can't just scribble down book after book without planning out what happens further ahead then you are. Well, I mean you can try, but it doesn't usually end well. Also with essays and non-fiction works, you can't simply go off your own knowledge. Research must be done, and as such, all of these works require planning ahead of a final copy.

So it all depends on what your writing. You want longer and more detailed work? A draft is your friend. Otherwise, improvisation is always a good skill to have ;)

What makes a good beginning?
Depends on the work. In a novel talk about the surroundings, in a series describe all the characters, in a play start with some drama, in an article explain the topic you're talking about. It all depends. There is no one thing to start off saying that'll make everyone like your writing. If you try too hard, again, you'll sound like it and come off as amateurish.

All we have are generally accepted ways to make a 'good beginning', and while it's a good guide for writers who are just getting into the craft, more experienced authors will know that standard conventions are just a matter of personal preference.

How do I know whether the story is going somewhere or not?
Now that's a silly question. You're the author aren't you? You make the story go somewhere. There is no one to make your idea a brilliant one but yourself. Of course, that's not to say a second opinion is bad, but like many other things, if your heart isn't into what you're doing, then why should someone else's be?

Now, if you're stuck with writer's block or something, that can't be helped, can it? Usually the best thing to do then is take a step back and wait for inspiration. Trying to force something out of yourself that wants to stay hidden usually doesn't make for a good piece of literature. If you want to relate it to something, try cooking. If you're supposed to heat something up for 20 minutes on a temperature of 200 degrees, turning the temperature up to 400 degrees will not make the process twice as fast.

Patience is a virtue, and we should really exercise it when we're writing.

How long should my work be?
Isn't this another silly question? There's no written rule on how long a work should be (well technically there is, but screw formalities). You write however much you need to to tell your story, or express your feelings, or get your point across.

Is the middle of the book the most important?
Every part of the book is important, and to say one prevails over another would be wrong. If the middle was the most important (or the most exciting, as the Madam put it ;)), then what would stop the reader from just skipping straight to that part? Sure they'll miss a few details and not know a few characters, but they'll be t the most exciting part!

No. That's what I'm trying to say, it isn't the most important. A beginning builds a relationship with the reader that makes them want to keep going, the middle shows them why they kept reading, and the end make them go to their rooms and cry because the book is over and there is no connection to the world they'd just entered.

Yeah.

How should my novel end?
This is up to you. You'll know you have a good ending in a novel or a series when it hurts you to leave. It's like leaving a part of you, a baby you raised yourself. It hurts man, it hurts.

For articles, you'll know because you're happy it's over.

I joke. This is also a matter of personal preference. There's no right or wrong time to end a book, it's all left up to you.

What do I do now?
Write dammit.


There. Keep the change.
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Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:19 am
Tenyo says...



Nice article! Veeren too.

I think it's good to get multiple opinions on the same questions because everyone works differently. There's also a lot of cool information in here so thanks for posting!
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Sun Jun 23, 2013 10:48 pm
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PixieStix says...



Your welcome. :)
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Sat Sep 07, 2013 9:52 am
mairev808 says...



All over the world people tell me they want to write, but they do not have the time right now.Writing easy is a lot harder than it looks,though it takes many years of hard work to become accomplished at it.
  





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Thu Dec 26, 2013 6:37 am
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GoldFlame says...



(Some thoughts I'd like to add...)

Best advice any new writer can get: Don't think. Just do it.

What's the definition of a rough draft? A piece with bumps you plan on smoothing out later? Technically, all novel-writers have multiple drafts; they chip at or rewrite every chapter. Don't plan on making anything a rough or final draft. Doesn't matter what it is. Let the words flow, and tear it to pieces afterwards :).

I've heard countless people say that they want to become a writer. Countless kids dreaming about publishing novels when they're older. But writing has to come naturally to you first.

Reading isn't the key. Most people that write little and read a lot sound stiff. So practice, practice, practice. Use up your free time on YWS. And when writing, keep thesaurus.com up in case you ever need it. Try not to use a dictionary; the simplest words function the best. :)

Good luck...
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