Tips for Your Writing

Maybe you’re new to writing, or maybe you're just stuck. Here are a few helpful hints for getting back on track, or started.

There are two ways to get a story going:

• Plan out the whole story from front to back cover.
• Just write as it comes

I have experience with both, and can't decide which is better. It's really a personal choice. Try both, and decide which works best for you.

Have two or three stories going at the same time! This especially helps if your just writing as it comes. When you go dry, try the next one. Don't give up.

Make a goal. You have your story planned out. Say to yourself, "I want to get to where so-and-so means so-and-so." You have a place where, once you get there, you feel good about where you are. You've made it this far, now go ahead.

Read your previous stories. I know they were the worst. I know you wish they could be wiped off the face of the planet! But READ them and look for the good in them. See where you can improve. Maybe the plot was good, but was very badly portrayed. Or, maybe there's an amazing character who was ruined. Find the weak spots and the strong ones. Build off of that.

Read! Just reading other books, or novels will help you. Reading is an amazing help when writing. You can learn phrases, see how the characters developed, see how your attention was held. Use those tips in your writing.

Find your writing style. Some are VERY descriptive, others just can't stand long paragraphs of description. Find your style and read both. Maybe you read one way, but write the other. Try both ways.

Ask other readers/writers for help and ideas. Have a good friend read your work and give you tips. Having someone read what you have written, and them telling you if something is unclear is sometimes the best help of all. You know what you mean. You know where your story is going. Your reader may not.

Find writing tools. Planning out stories can be hard, but using a planner can really help. LampPost provides some graphic organizers found on the "Helpful Resources" page. Use a thesaurus and dictionary. Don't sit there trying to think of a better word for "like."

Plan out your characters. Get to know them. Pretend they are your best friend! If you know your characters, they will develop themselves. Using a character sketch can really help plan them out.

Forget about writing eloquently the first time! The first chapter is always hard. Just get it down on paper and go on. Come back when you're ready and it will be easy as pie!

Remember, there will be many drafts, many redoes, many changes. Don't get frustrated when the editor, or friends tell you that a part needs working on, or, even harder, that YOU need practice. They are on your side and are trying to help you. It's just as hard to tell a friend they need to work on something, as it is to receive the news.

Know your audience. Some find this difficult, or unhelpful. Determine what general age range you are writing too. If you're writing to children, use easy language.