What Is Your Favorite Writing Tip?

Read. The best writer's read the work of better writers, and learn from it.

[fallacy, but good advice]

LIFE.
Literature.
Imagination.
Folklore.
Experience.

Even if it's not a magical cure for writers block, it's a good place to start when you've come to a road block, especially in plot or character development. ("Where does this go from here?")

I think it was Holly Lisle's site (the one that El loves, and I love as well)- something about "Feel free to steal ideas, but twist them and shake them to make them your own."

It's true. Plots are never wholly original- there's always the problem of common themes. There would only be fifty or so stories in existence if we weren't alowed to copy, and that sort of thing.

The "twist" thing is the rule to live by. If you don't twist the things you find- for example, you like the idea of a society that destroys things, like in Fahrenheit 451- then it becomes a Bradbury fanfic. If you're clever, you'd find away to emulate the destruction (taking the idea at its heart) and channel it into something new.

...I think it makes sense, right?

^ that's a great tip, Sam.
There are very few stories that are completely original. But you can make an old IDEA original by twisting it.

best two tips

practice makes perfect

dont write what you know and should know. write what you would like know and dont know

Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't expect what you write to be perfect. It won't be.

You suck.

Encouraging, no?

Actually those single two words are my driving force. I want to excell and reach my full potencial. Until then, I suck. XD

NEVER leave something unfinished. Otherwise you can never take credit for it.

I forget where I read it, but my favorite writing tip is to think of a story you would like to read, then write it.

I have to echo Blooregard here:


Write the book you want to read.

1) Always, always, always have a pen with you.

2) When you think of it, write it down. I mean now. Because you will not remember it later.

3) When you can't write, read. When you can't read, write. Fill your days with those.


Sorry, I know it's three, but those are like my commandments.

1) Mind set: I've tried writing when I don't want to but I always end up writing only two or three sentances that really suck. Try typing every now and then and when you start going, don't let anyone stop you. Writing Rampage!!!

2) Environment: I prefer it to be cold, helps keep my mind focused and alert. I also like it to be dark. It helps me be not disracted by other things easily.

3) Time: Always make sure you have enough time. I can't tell you how many time's I've begun to write and have to stop in the middle of what could have turned out to be a really good long session.

4) Pace: Be sure to know when to stop. Sometimes whenver I type for hours on end my ideas get all jumbled together and I get all unfocused. You don't have to write the whole book in one day. Take your time and learn to striaghten out your ideas.

Hope that helped!


~Pol~

My tip would be read work of others,and believe me there is loads to learn from them.And whenever you are writing you should have the true feelings in it.You should get involved in it.

Trident wrote:You can only break the rules if you truly understand them in the first place.

gah! my writing teacher says that all the time...
grr...


"I feel the best way to write believable characters is to really believe in them yourself. When you hear a song on the radio, you should know how your character feels about it--which songs your character would relate to, which songs she hates. Hear the conversations that your characters would have when they're not doing anything exciting; let them talk in your head, get to know them. Know their favorite colors and their opinions on current events, their birthdays and their flaws."
~Stephenie Meyer, author of the Twilight series

Whenever you have to stop writing, stop in the middle of a sentence and right before you get to a good part. That way, when you come back, you'll finish the sentence and get back into the writing groove. A published writer told me that, and it kind of works for me.

My dad always reminds me that Stephen King says to read for four hours and write for four hours. So I always feel guilty that I don't read much anymore. XD