This is for those who have just begun writing, или for those who need helpful advice. I hope this Статья helps you.
1) Spelling and Grammar
Spelling and grammar is the first thing Ты worry about. If there are many spelling/grammatical errors, the story doesn't flow very well. Ты don't have to be an expert, but Ты at least should have a dictionary nearby and know the basic rules of grammar. You'll pick up on еще the еще Ты write.
2) Know Your Topic
First and foremost, after spelling and grammar, Ты must know what you're Письмо about. And I don't just mean a topic in general. For example, if Ты want to write about someone flying a plane, but don't know anything about how to fly one, do some research. But I also mean, know the general idea of what your story is going to be about. If Ты don't have the entire plot in your head, you're most likely going to encounter writer's block quite a bit. I'm not saying Ты need to know the summary of each chapter, I'm talking about the summary of your entire piece. It doesn't need to be specific, just the main idea.
3) Don't Stop Writing
Imagine yourself pushing a very heavy object across the floor (without wheel assistance). Once Ты can get going, it's not too hard. But if Ты stop and try to start again, it's extremely difficult. It's the same thing with writing. Once Ты start, do your best not to stop. Once Ты have a good bit of material, then go back and reread what Ты have written and make any necessary changes, deletions, and additions Ты wish to make.
4) Once You've Completed A Chapter and/or Your One Shot
When Ты complete a chapter, или your story if it's only one chapter, reread it thoroughly. In fact, reread it a couple of times. Read it outloud to yourself. Check and be sure Ты don't have any spelling/grammatical errors, be sure Ты don't want to add/delete anything, and be sure it flows well and everything makes sense. The reason for Чтение outloud is because this is your story. Ты know what it's supposed to say, and when Ты read inside your head, your mind will read it as what it's supposed to be. Чтение aloud, your mind tends to pay еще attention to each word individually, so checking for errors is much simpler. (I learned this the hard way.)
5) Write About What Ты Like
I'm sure I don't need to include this, but I will anyway. If Ты don't write about what Ты like, your story probably won't turn out very good because you're not passionate about the topic. This is also including genre. If Ты don't like romance, then Письмо about it is probably not a good idea.
6) NEVER Ask For Совет Before You've Written
Most people are afraid to write something and have people not like it, so they ask others what they think would happen или how they would word something. STOP! Write it first, then ask others what they think. Know where Ты are going wrong and what Ты need to work on. However, be sure you're not letting other opinions get to Ты too much. If someone says that your Письмо sucks, don't let that stop you. Письмо good material takes a lot of time. And never let anyone suggest that something should happen instead of what you've written. If Ты allow this, then it's not your story! Trust me, I never asked for Совет before I wrote something, and I'm a better writer for it. Ты will be, too.
7) Be Proud of Your Work!
I absolutely hate it when people say they don't write because they're no good at it. I hate it even еще when someone says that they used to write, but gave up because no one liked their stories. Maybe your story isn't all that great. So what? Like I сказал(-а) before, good Письмо takes time. My very first fanfiction that I wrote...Good grief, I couldn't believe that there was a time I thought that was good. But looking at my most Последнее fanfiction, I think it's pretty good, in my opinion. Never let anyone stop Ты from Письмо if that's what Ты like to do. The еще Ты write, the better you'll become at it. Learn from why your stories aren't as good as Ты want them to be, and make yourself a better writer by learning from them.
8) Writer's Block
The worst thing a writer can encounter is writer's block. If Ты ever find yourself staring at your piece of paper или computer screen with absolutely no idea how to continue, put it to the side and go do something to keep your mind off of it for a while. Normally, when Ты return with a fresh mind, ideas will come еще easily. If that doesn't work, try to do things that bring Ты inspiration. Read something relating to your topic, или whatever else Ты do to gain your inspiration. And like I сказал(-а) before, don't ask anyone what they think would happen. This is your writing, so it needs to come from your noggin. Ты can't be proud of your work if your ideas came from someone else.
9) Novel Format vs. Script Format
A lot of people find script format easier to write than novel format. It's less to write, right? Well, that's the problem. When Ты write less, it doesn't put a picture in your reader's mind. I wrote my first fanfiction in script format. In fact, I wrote my first two and a half fanfictions in script. All it told was what my characters сказал(-а) and weak descriptions of their actions. In novel format, Ты can give so much еще life to your story. For example, instead of:
Jim: [leaps down stairs in a panic] "Mom?! Are Ты okay?!" [reaches bottom of stairs and looks around frantically]
turn it into this:
Jim took off toward the stairs, almost tripping on the first one. Taking them by two's, he nearly tripped over his own feet as he frantically called for his mother.
"Mom?! Are Ты okay?!" he called. His сердце pounded with worry, and upon throwing himself past the bottom step, he frantically turned back and forth in Поиск of his mother.
I know it's not a very good example, but I think Ты understand what I'm getting at. Though, if you're a beginner, Ты might consider Письмо your story first in script, then converting it to novel format. It might be an easy start for Ты until Ты get used to jumping write into the novel format.
10) Creating the Image
Most of Ты have probably heard of the phrase "show not tell" in school. That's much еще significant in writing. Don't just say, "He was very nervous about the exam." Say instead, something along the lines of, "His exam was in an hour. He fidgeted with his fingers and found his сердце accelerating with each секунда that brought him closer to what could be the beginning of his life, или the end of it." Again, not a very good example, but my point should still be clear. This is especially important in Письмо because if Ты don't create a clear image, the Письмо becomes boring for lack of flow. However, don't use overly descriptive terms that will only confuse your readers. Use terms that you'd probably use with a teenager. That way, most everybody will know what your talking about and your flow of Письмо will remain constant and unbroken. One thing that helps me in creating an image is stopping what I'm Письмо for a moment, closing my eyes, and imagining the scene in my mind. It helps Ты understand what part of the scene is causing the suspense, and which parts of the scene Ты need to focus on.
11) Know Your Audience
Which age group are Ты Письмо for? A toddler? A teenager? An adult? A senior citizen? Ты want to use an appropriate language, plot, and genre for your audience. Письмо using grown up terms, but with a storyline that adults wouldn't want to read would be pointless. I'm sure an adult wouldn't want to read a story about a talking бабочка and his friend, the bumblebee, but a young child might. So, know who Ты want to write for.
12) Combine Sentences, Don't Repeat
I've mentioned several times about your flow of writing. This can take the topic in several different directions. I've already covered the issue of knowing your audience, your spelling and grammar, and imagery. But there's one еще area in which flow is important. Repetition. That's another one of the worst things that a writer can do. For example, if you're explaining what someone is doing, one thing that drives many reader's insane is something like this: Jim ran out of his room and went to the stairs. Jim darted down the stairs, taking them by two's. When Jim reached the bottom of the stairs, he frantically looked around for his mother. Notice how I use Jim's name in every single sentence as I described his actions. The reader already knows you're talking about Jim, so using his name over and over is unnecessary. Instead, using what I wrote under the Novel Format vs. Script Format tab would be much better. That's another reason why rereading may be important; Ты can be sure that none of your Письмо is repetitious.
13) Don't Give Too Much Visual Right Away
So, you're sending your character into a new setting. или maybe your introducing a character. When Ты bring him/her into your writing, don't take too much time explaining what the room looks like that they're in, или what they look like, или who they are. Especially if the setting/character isn't something you're going to mention too often in your story. Bring details in gradually, if important. Instead of saying, "She wore red-rimmed glasses," say, "She looked down at the boy through her red-rimmed glasses."
14) The Ending
The hardest parts to write in a story are the beginning and the end. The weirdest to write, however, is the ending. It's kind of like when your Избранное Показать или book series ends. It's just...Over. When Письмо the end, consider the main character's goal throughout the story. Consider the message Ты were trying to portray through the reader. Don't just tell the reader that the character has reached his/her goal или not, end it with a message that will stick in the readers' mind. If Ты just end the story without some kind of message, whether it be a message connecting to the world или to the character him/herself, then the story is just forgotten. Though, I'm talking the ending to your entire piece, here. If you're Письмо in series, end with cliffhangers until Ты reach the ending.
15) Чтение Helps
There are two parts to this tip. One is this: Read other published novels that interest you. Get to know what is good about the novel and what isn't. Know how novel format is written and structured. Read some reviews on the novel to get other opinions on the plot and structure. Take all of this into account in your writing. Just be sure not to copy someone else's work, and don't just write your story because Ты think it's what other people will like. Be sure what you're Письмо is something Ты would read if Ты weren't the author.
The секунда part to this is Чтение things that aren't professionally published. Think about your Избранное shows/books/movies and read some fanfictions on them. But don't just read them, think about what Ты would've done better if Ты would've written it. Pay attention to what Ты like and dislike about them, too. Both of these will help Ты pay attention to how Ты write your stories to differentiate it from other writings.
16) Stay On Topic/Make Sense
Be sure that Ты don't make random, irrelevant Комментарии in your story. This also takes away from the flow of Письмо and makes it very confusing. Make absolutely certain that your Письмо makes sense. And if you're comparing something in your writing, make sure the comparison is clear. If you're somehow comparing a car and a bird, be sure Ты explain why, otherwise, your readers will become confused.
17) Reviewers
If Ты write something, and plan on asking someone to review it, don't get a friend to review it. I mean, if Ты want your friends' opinion, go ahead. But to get a еще honest, unbiased, review, get someone who Ты don't know very well to do it. Preferably, someone who has at least some experience in writing. And whether they say it's good или not, take their review to heart. Just don't let it get Ты down if it's not the review Ты hoped for. Reviews will improve as your Письмо does.
However, I strongly suggest doing what I do. If someone is rude in their review (i.e. "You're Письмо sucks! Get a life!", "This is the worst thing I've ever read," "Jeez, Ты think this is good!?"), ignore the review completely. If someone feels that strongly about not liking your writing, then they shouldn't even read it in the first place. Taking those kind of reviews into account will only add stress to your Письмо process and lower your self-esteem and confidence. Only endure positive, polite constructive criticism.
18) Never Give Up
If Ты take anything from these tips, take this most to heart. Don't worry about who likes and dislikes your stories. Not every single one of your readers is going to like your stories. If it's because it doesn't flow, learn what you're doing wrong and fix your mistakes. If it's because they don't like the plot, just ignore it, because that's a matter of opinion. Don't let bad reviews stop Ты from doing what Ты love. Giving up is the same as not caring. If Ты really don't care about writing, then please, give up, because Ты obviously aren't passionate about what you're doing. But if Ты do Любовь doing it, and it is something Ты care about, let nothing stand in your way. Even the most famous writers had to start somewhere, and there's always еще to learn.
If Ты have any questions, или can think of any other tips, please share them with me. I've been Письмо for about a год now, but I'm still learning. Anyone who writes always learns something different.
1) Spelling and Grammar
Spelling and grammar is the first thing Ты worry about. If there are many spelling/grammatical errors, the story doesn't flow very well. Ты don't have to be an expert, but Ты at least should have a dictionary nearby and know the basic rules of grammar. You'll pick up on еще the еще Ты write.
2) Know Your Topic
First and foremost, after spelling and grammar, Ты must know what you're Письмо about. And I don't just mean a topic in general. For example, if Ты want to write about someone flying a plane, but don't know anything about how to fly one, do some research. But I also mean, know the general idea of what your story is going to be about. If Ты don't have the entire plot in your head, you're most likely going to encounter writer's block quite a bit. I'm not saying Ты need to know the summary of each chapter, I'm talking about the summary of your entire piece. It doesn't need to be specific, just the main idea.
3) Don't Stop Writing
Imagine yourself pushing a very heavy object across the floor (without wheel assistance). Once Ты can get going, it's not too hard. But if Ты stop and try to start again, it's extremely difficult. It's the same thing with writing. Once Ты start, do your best not to stop. Once Ты have a good bit of material, then go back and reread what Ты have written and make any necessary changes, deletions, and additions Ты wish to make.
4) Once You've Completed A Chapter and/or Your One Shot
When Ты complete a chapter, или your story if it's only one chapter, reread it thoroughly. In fact, reread it a couple of times. Read it outloud to yourself. Check and be sure Ты don't have any spelling/grammatical errors, be sure Ты don't want to add/delete anything, and be sure it flows well and everything makes sense. The reason for Чтение outloud is because this is your story. Ты know what it's supposed to say, and when Ты read inside your head, your mind will read it as what it's supposed to be. Чтение aloud, your mind tends to pay еще attention to each word individually, so checking for errors is much simpler. (I learned this the hard way.)
5) Write About What Ты Like
I'm sure I don't need to include this, but I will anyway. If Ты don't write about what Ты like, your story probably won't turn out very good because you're not passionate about the topic. This is also including genre. If Ты don't like romance, then Письмо about it is probably not a good idea.
6) NEVER Ask For Совет Before You've Written
Most people are afraid to write something and have people not like it, so they ask others what they think would happen или how they would word something. STOP! Write it first, then ask others what they think. Know where Ты are going wrong and what Ты need to work on. However, be sure you're not letting other opinions get to Ты too much. If someone says that your Письмо sucks, don't let that stop you. Письмо good material takes a lot of time. And never let anyone suggest that something should happen instead of what you've written. If Ты allow this, then it's not your story! Trust me, I never asked for Совет before I wrote something, and I'm a better writer for it. Ты will be, too.
7) Be Proud of Your Work!
I absolutely hate it when people say they don't write because they're no good at it. I hate it even еще when someone says that they used to write, but gave up because no one liked their stories. Maybe your story isn't all that great. So what? Like I сказал(-а) before, good Письмо takes time. My very first fanfiction that I wrote...Good grief, I couldn't believe that there was a time I thought that was good. But looking at my most Последнее fanfiction, I think it's pretty good, in my opinion. Never let anyone stop Ты from Письмо if that's what Ты like to do. The еще Ты write, the better you'll become at it. Learn from why your stories aren't as good as Ты want them to be, and make yourself a better writer by learning from them.
8) Writer's Block
The worst thing a writer can encounter is writer's block. If Ты ever find yourself staring at your piece of paper или computer screen with absolutely no idea how to continue, put it to the side and go do something to keep your mind off of it for a while. Normally, when Ты return with a fresh mind, ideas will come еще easily. If that doesn't work, try to do things that bring Ты inspiration. Read something relating to your topic, или whatever else Ты do to gain your inspiration. And like I сказал(-а) before, don't ask anyone what they think would happen. This is your writing, so it needs to come from your noggin. Ты can't be proud of your work if your ideas came from someone else.
9) Novel Format vs. Script Format
A lot of people find script format easier to write than novel format. It's less to write, right? Well, that's the problem. When Ты write less, it doesn't put a picture in your reader's mind. I wrote my first fanfiction in script format. In fact, I wrote my first two and a half fanfictions in script. All it told was what my characters сказал(-а) and weak descriptions of their actions. In novel format, Ты can give so much еще life to your story. For example, instead of:
Jim: [leaps down stairs in a panic] "Mom?! Are Ты okay?!" [reaches bottom of stairs and looks around frantically]
turn it into this:
Jim took off toward the stairs, almost tripping on the first one. Taking them by two's, he nearly tripped over his own feet as he frantically called for his mother.
"Mom?! Are Ты okay?!" he called. His сердце pounded with worry, and upon throwing himself past the bottom step, he frantically turned back and forth in Поиск of his mother.
I know it's not a very good example, but I think Ты understand what I'm getting at. Though, if you're a beginner, Ты might consider Письмо your story first in script, then converting it to novel format. It might be an easy start for Ты until Ты get used to jumping write into the novel format.
10) Creating the Image
Most of Ты have probably heard of the phrase "show not tell" in school. That's much еще significant in writing. Don't just say, "He was very nervous about the exam." Say instead, something along the lines of, "His exam was in an hour. He fidgeted with his fingers and found his сердце accelerating with each секунда that brought him closer to what could be the beginning of his life, или the end of it." Again, not a very good example, but my point should still be clear. This is especially important in Письмо because if Ты don't create a clear image, the Письмо becomes boring for lack of flow. However, don't use overly descriptive terms that will only confuse your readers. Use terms that you'd probably use with a teenager. That way, most everybody will know what your talking about and your flow of Письмо will remain constant and unbroken. One thing that helps me in creating an image is stopping what I'm Письмо for a moment, closing my eyes, and imagining the scene in my mind. It helps Ты understand what part of the scene is causing the suspense, and which parts of the scene Ты need to focus on.
11) Know Your Audience
Which age group are Ты Письмо for? A toddler? A teenager? An adult? A senior citizen? Ты want to use an appropriate language, plot, and genre for your audience. Письмо using grown up terms, but with a storyline that adults wouldn't want to read would be pointless. I'm sure an adult wouldn't want to read a story about a talking бабочка and his friend, the bumblebee, but a young child might. So, know who Ты want to write for.
12) Combine Sentences, Don't Repeat
I've mentioned several times about your flow of writing. This can take the topic in several different directions. I've already covered the issue of knowing your audience, your spelling and grammar, and imagery. But there's one еще area in which flow is important. Repetition. That's another one of the worst things that a writer can do. For example, if you're explaining what someone is doing, one thing that drives many reader's insane is something like this: Jim ran out of his room and went to the stairs. Jim darted down the stairs, taking them by two's. When Jim reached the bottom of the stairs, he frantically looked around for his mother. Notice how I use Jim's name in every single sentence as I described his actions. The reader already knows you're talking about Jim, so using his name over and over is unnecessary. Instead, using what I wrote under the Novel Format vs. Script Format tab would be much better. That's another reason why rereading may be important; Ты can be sure that none of your Письмо is repetitious.
13) Don't Give Too Much Visual Right Away
So, you're sending your character into a new setting. или maybe your introducing a character. When Ты bring him/her into your writing, don't take too much time explaining what the room looks like that they're in, или what they look like, или who they are. Especially if the setting/character isn't something you're going to mention too often in your story. Bring details in gradually, if important. Instead of saying, "She wore red-rimmed glasses," say, "She looked down at the boy through her red-rimmed glasses."
14) The Ending
The hardest parts to write in a story are the beginning and the end. The weirdest to write, however, is the ending. It's kind of like when your Избранное Показать или book series ends. It's just...Over. When Письмо the end, consider the main character's goal throughout the story. Consider the message Ты were trying to portray through the reader. Don't just tell the reader that the character has reached his/her goal или not, end it with a message that will stick in the readers' mind. If Ты just end the story without some kind of message, whether it be a message connecting to the world или to the character him/herself, then the story is just forgotten. Though, I'm talking the ending to your entire piece, here. If you're Письмо in series, end with cliffhangers until Ты reach the ending.
15) Чтение Helps
There are two parts to this tip. One is this: Read other published novels that interest you. Get to know what is good about the novel and what isn't. Know how novel format is written and structured. Read some reviews on the novel to get other opinions on the plot and structure. Take all of this into account in your writing. Just be sure not to copy someone else's work, and don't just write your story because Ты think it's what other people will like. Be sure what you're Письмо is something Ты would read if Ты weren't the author.
The секунда part to this is Чтение things that aren't professionally published. Think about your Избранное shows/books/movies and read some fanfictions on them. But don't just read them, think about what Ты would've done better if Ты would've written it. Pay attention to what Ты like and dislike about them, too. Both of these will help Ты pay attention to how Ты write your stories to differentiate it from other writings.
16) Stay On Topic/Make Sense
Be sure that Ты don't make random, irrelevant Комментарии in your story. This also takes away from the flow of Письмо and makes it very confusing. Make absolutely certain that your Письмо makes sense. And if you're comparing something in your writing, make sure the comparison is clear. If you're somehow comparing a car and a bird, be sure Ты explain why, otherwise, your readers will become confused.
17) Reviewers
If Ты write something, and plan on asking someone to review it, don't get a friend to review it. I mean, if Ты want your friends' opinion, go ahead. But to get a еще honest, unbiased, review, get someone who Ты don't know very well to do it. Preferably, someone who has at least some experience in writing. And whether they say it's good или not, take their review to heart. Just don't let it get Ты down if it's not the review Ты hoped for. Reviews will improve as your Письмо does.
However, I strongly suggest doing what I do. If someone is rude in their review (i.e. "You're Письмо sucks! Get a life!", "This is the worst thing I've ever read," "Jeez, Ты think this is good!?"), ignore the review completely. If someone feels that strongly about not liking your writing, then they shouldn't even read it in the first place. Taking those kind of reviews into account will only add stress to your Письмо process and lower your self-esteem and confidence. Only endure positive, polite constructive criticism.
18) Never Give Up
If Ты take anything from these tips, take this most to heart. Don't worry about who likes and dislikes your stories. Not every single one of your readers is going to like your stories. If it's because it doesn't flow, learn what you're doing wrong and fix your mistakes. If it's because they don't like the plot, just ignore it, because that's a matter of opinion. Don't let bad reviews stop Ты from doing what Ты love. Giving up is the same as not caring. If Ты really don't care about writing, then please, give up, because Ты obviously aren't passionate about what you're doing. But if Ты do Любовь doing it, and it is something Ты care about, let nothing stand in your way. Even the most famous writers had to start somewhere, and there's always еще to learn.
If Ты have any questions, или can think of any other tips, please share them with me. I've been Письмо for about a год now, but I'm still learning. Anyone who writes always learns something different.
