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Young Writers Society


What Is Your Favorite Writing Tip?



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Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:28 am
Jittu says...



Hi, thanks to all friends for posting your thoughts and giving your important time on this question.

I have no more option to write any answer because you all members have written here.
  





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Thu Jan 18, 2018 9:22 am
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emjaccrn says...



Travis McBee has a lot of YouTube videos about writing (that I always end up binge watching instead of actually writing), but he always says that if you're able to take a scene out of the story and it still makes sense, it shouldn't be there. He says that character growth and subplots should all happen while moving the main plot, and that you should avoid having 'fluff'. My writing has gotten loads better since I've followed this, and there's faster, better pacing and less boring areas.
He also says that if it's boring to write, it's boring to read, and I've started making sure to avoid boring scenes, because readers aren't obligated to read past those, and I'll set a book down at a slow part.
  





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Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:05 pm
Radrook says...



Avoid using too many generalities:

The danger in introducing generalities into our short stories or poems is that we will leave our readers in a wondering condition. Now what the heck does that mean? Say what? Where exactly did he say that happened? What is she afraid of again? Who the heck is Bill? Where the dickens did that chap come from? Who exactly am I supposed to be seeing in this part. Are these males or females? Are these two individuals gay? What does he mean when he says he has demons? What does he mean by a weird look? What does he mean by funny? How is it strange?

All these questions interfere with the reading flow because they cause the reader to pause and ponder. If we add more generalities as we go along, then we have a wondering and pondering reader who doesn't really know exactly what is going on. The finished product might FEEL finished to the writer, but for the reader, it never really began. Now, no writer sets out specifically to do this to a reader. So why does it happen?

Well, as beginning writers we might erroneously be under the impression that when we see things clearly in our minds so does the reader. But that just isn't so. Please note that we are not projecting images on a literal screen as movie makers are. Movie goers can see exactly what age, sex, race, or even what attitude is involved just by looking. A writer's audience depends on the writer to reveal such things either via description or monologue or dialogue. In short, the reader is like a blind man being guided through an art gallery by a sighted person who is describing the works of art to him.

Once a writer realizes just how dependent the reader is on being guided, then the tendency towards generalizations will be reduced.
Last edited by Radrook on Sat Feb 03, 2018 1:40 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Tue Sep 04, 2018 7:52 pm
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Panikos says...



Two tips from my lecturers that I write by:

You don't have to be a writer all the time. Sometimes a flat-footed sentence will get you exactly where you need to be.

Spotting the bad stuff is easy. The difficult is spotting the good stuff that's getting in the way, whether it be a brilliant metaphor or a wonderful character. Just because it's good doesn't mean it has a place in this story.
The backs of my eyes hum with things I've never done.


~Radical Face
  





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Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:46 am
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Zolen says...



If the words you're using came from a dictionary rather then you're memory, then you probably shouldn't be using them.
Self quoting is the key to sounding wise and all knowing.
  





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Thu Nov 01, 2018 7:21 pm
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Enola says...



Don't stop.

OK not exactly a real one. Otherwise I'd say: "Realise that what may be obvious in your head is not necessarily so in everyone elses."
  





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Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:20 pm
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Lib says...



An author told me this (these are her exact words by the way):-

When you want to perfectly edit your work, read it backwards. That way, you'll be able to catch as many mistakes as possible. If you just read it the way your reader would, you won't, because you already know what you want to know.


This advice has lived with me for a long time, and it helps, trust me. I swear it on my future horse.
*insert quirky signature here*
  





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Thu Jan 16, 2020 9:27 pm
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looseleaf says...



Three things.

1. My teacher taught me never to use three letter words (exceptions: are, and, too, can, etc). Never use got/get, never use run/ran, and other words like these. She calls them "first grade words" and since we're not in first grade, we don't use them. It's helped me a lot!

2. Another tip by the same teacher. When writing a paragraph for a class, always use Jane Schaffer. What is Jane Schaffer? It's a paragraph rule that goes: Topic, Fact/Concrete Detail, Opinion based on the fact, Opinion based on the fact, Conclusion Sentence. That is one chunk.

If you want two chunks, you just do this: Topic, Fact/Concrete Detail, Opinion based on the fact, Opinion based on the fact, Fact/Concrete Detail, Opinion based on the fact, Opinion based on the fact, Conclusion Sentence. .

You just keep repeating the fact and opinions for however many "chunks" you want/need!

3. This one is from me. Be you. I know some teachers may set strict guidelines or highly suggest you do something one way, but make it as you as you can! This may be as simple as signing your name with a heart or adding an opinion or two that nobody else has!
  





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Sun May 31, 2020 7:41 pm
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Vita says...



Not exactly life changing inspirational stuff, but if your need to name places/things in your story, use latin.
A lot of words and names come from latin, so latin words generally make convincing names for things (If your story is set somewhere that speaks english, at least.) You just pull up google translate, type in words related to what your trying to name, and pick one that sounds cool. Now your name ties in with what the thing your naming is, but it still sounds unique and cool. I find it useful for world-building.
For example, in the story I'm writing now, a large, high tech city in the future is called Novus City (New City), and one of the seedier neighborhoods in that city is called The Rubigo District (The Rust District).
"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all."
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Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:12 am
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pineapple321 says...



It was actually a quote I came across that really motivated me. It was "You can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page"

It basically was saying to take a risk and just write, even if it's horrible. And I think that's the best advice I was given :D
“She runs. Not away, but toward.” ~Illuminae Files
  





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Sat May 15, 2021 6:19 pm
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Brigadier says...



Know when to write for yourself over writing for someone else.

This is to say that if you have a passion project that makes you very [insert positive feeling] to work on it, then you should be writing for yourself in mind. The first (or really any) draft can be as cheesy as you want. You can include all those inside jokes that only make sense to you or whatever beta readers you picked up along the way. Even if it's a project you want to publish, you should still write for yourself because that's a published piece of media that will be attached to you forever and you want it to be your authentic self.

the brigadier rides again!
LMS VI: Lunch Appointment with Death

  





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Fri Oct 15, 2021 3:38 am
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Brigadier says...



Word goals, in the end, mean nothing.

That's a hard truth to take during the planning session for NaNoWriMo.

Instead, writers should have a series of goals associated with different plot points. Writing towards a plot mechanism will be much more rewarding than tucking 1667 words under your belt everyday.

It's also less likely to lead to a writing burnout - the most common side effect of participating in NaNoWriMo.

the brigadier rides again!
LMS VI: Lunch Appointment with Death

  





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Fri Oct 15, 2021 4:13 am
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SalemReine says...



The two best pieces of writing advice I’ve received are:

Write what you know. (A lot of people have probably heard this one, it’s good advice and it’s popular.)

And write what scares you. This is harder to do but so very worth it!

Also, have fun with your writing! Make a playlist (or seventeen), draw maps, hide little clues, add unnecessary fun details! If you’re stressing all the time about word counts and deadlines, what’s really the whole point? You didn’t start writing so you could reach 1000 words a day, so why have you put that on yourself now?
Was WrenZorya

If I perish, I perish~ Esther, a long long time ago
  





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Tue Apr 18, 2023 6:23 pm
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AmayaStatham says...



My favorite writing tip: "listen to music while writing."

Also play with your music styles.
If your writing a sad scene go along with the songs and try sadder songs that make you sad also. That way you can feel the emotion and the scene becomes better/ is being expressed better by you, I think.

Use songs with beatbox, kickdrums, hiphop, etc...
To write like fun scenes and in the moment interesting, suspenseful scenes.

Set a cool-mood for yourself, take some peanuts, popcorn or crisps work too, and go write!

- Rinisha
  





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Tue Apr 18, 2023 9:53 pm
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GengarIsBestBoy says...



Someone on YWS told me this (I can’t remember who)

“You can’t edit a blank page.”

This has actually helped me a lot. I sometimes fall into the habit of editing my work while I’m writing, but I’m trying to get into the mindset of “hey! It may be bad now, but I can always edit later!
How dare you make fun of Molly Mcgee?! That’s my job!!

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