| 15 Oct 2007 07:47 pm |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 14  Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 4,390 OFFLINE | I’m no amazing writer, but I do know a bit of tips that can help you write and organize your thoughts. Mind you, there are many styles of writing, and my tips fall more into narrative/expository writings than anything. I don’t plan to give a grammar lesson here either since I’m not qualified to do that to any great extent.
1. Prewriting
Brainstorm ideas. This could take a few hours to even weeks. Get characters, settings, conflicts, and events. Think about what you want to say. Write a few ideas down. It doesn’t need a format, just something so you can get the brain moving.
Do a quick treatment. A treatment is essentially a very simplistic, summarized writing of your plot. It requires a beginning, middle, and end as any writing would, but its really a smaller version of the bigger picture. This is primarily used in the movie business, where the one who wishes to create the story presents a treatment to a publisher, who then reviews it. In this setting, however, a treatment should never be more than a page. But for personal reasons, its not bad to go over that. Its a good way to get ideas flowing, so don’t think it should be limited to Hollywood only. Try to keep it under 10 pages, if you can.
Outline ideas. Get the events in some order. Categorize characters. Plot the relationships.
Don’t go too deep into your prewriting, you will be changing things along the way. Feel free to alter or ignore what you originally wrote.
2. The First Drafts
Write the way you like to. Use a computer or pencil. Are you an internal writer? Then restart a writing if you hate it. Are you an external writer? Mark what you want to change on paper. Like the confines of your room? Do it there. Does music help you think? Use it. Do you love the outdoors? Get a lawn chair and write outside.
Write without thinking first. Don’t try to be overly grammatical. If you constantly think about what you’re writing, I can guarantee more than once you’ll think too hard and get writer’s block. Let the brain flow as much as you can. Don’t go too far; if you’re tired, take a break.
If its a short story, when its done, read it to yourself aloud. Trust me, when you write it feels as if you’re saying it just as you want it, but its only perfect to your mind. That’s fine for a start, but not good to finish with. Find anything you dislike and revise as needed. Don’t look for grammatical errors such as commas or capitalization first but rather sentence structure and variety, logical transitions, good description, parallel structure, and diction. Avoid slang in expository(informational) writings and narration, but internal/external dialog is fine, or if the mood allows it. Watch out for repetition and redundancy. These two things make your writing wordy and odd to read. Don’t mix them up either, for example: Hot water heater is redundant, but “I went to the store with my friends who went to the store," is repetitive.
Once you’ve revised your writing a bit by yourself, let a friend or someone you trust can critique it and let them present ideas. Don’t let their suggestions take over your writing, they are only suggestions. If you think, without a doubt, they were wrong, don’t do what they said. If you like their idea, but came up with one you feel is better, use your idea. They are guiding you, not telling you how to do it.
3. Presentation
This could fit here, or maybe more before 2, whatever you think.
Make sure you have logical, diverse transitions. If you go from one idea or event to the next, try to make sure its not just random. There is no rhythm there.
Keep a dictionary and/or a thesaurus with you. I wouldn’t rely too heavily one these, but use them if you are unsure of a word’s usage or if you want a word that you think could fit the sentence more than your original choice. Remember this, however; just because its a big word doesn’t mean its ideal. “Subtle” can be a more expressive and rewarding word than “inconspicuous” despite them being essentially synonymous (subtle has a more neutral connotation than inconspicuous though...but I think my point got across).
Make sure you use good description. I find overly descriptive writing is convoluted and unnecessary, but its not always a bad thing. Diction still fits here, use simple words if they get the same emotion across. But don’t keep objects, emotions, etc. naked. “The tree planted..." is boring compared to “The rugged, towering tree firmly planted..."
An important thing to look out for is sentence variety. A good way to see if you have bland sentence structure is underline the first few words in each of your sentences and see how they read. If you have a lot of “I bought...", “I went to...", “We felt that...", “I was sick...", then your sentences are bland. Don’t start with pronouns or subject first all the time. Start with a few adjectives, adverbs, or put in some dialog. If you don’t, it starts to sound like a list.
Final Steps
After revision, you should quickly skim the above steps. Now, its time to edit. If you are unsure of the difference between editing and revision: Editing is technical (punctuation, tense, proper diction) and revision is more about making sure every idea flows. You may move, rewrite, or remove sentences.
Get some peers to edit. Make sure grammar is as correct as you can get it.
Once grammar is set and the ideas flow seamlessly, you’re ready.
Always Remember:
Keep your voice. The only place I say you would lose your voice is in dialog. Otherwise, make the writing sound like you, not like someone who isn’t you. This is your brain on paper, after all.
I hope this helps. I’ll add or edit anything. Feel free to make your own suggestions.
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Haruhi demands you join the MvC OtakusLast edited 15 Oct 2007 08:10 pm by RageOverdose | |
 | | 15 Oct 2007 07:55 pm |
The Dog-Mod! Rep: 49 Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 18,479 | Very well said Rage
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 | | | 15 Oct 2007 08:09 pm |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 14Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 4,390 OFFLINE | firewolf81 wrote:
Very well said Rage
Appreciate it.
I think some people just feel overwhelmed by writing. I used to be for sure. These are good, solid ways to keep your writing flowing smoothly.
I should add:
Stay true to your expression. Writing is a form of art, and art is, as I have defined it, media of expression. Its what separates us from artisans.
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Haruhi demands you join the MvC OtakusLast edited 15 Oct 2007 08:09 pm by RageOverdose | | | 16 Oct 2007 02:36 am |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 5 Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 2,309 OFFLINE | "Writing is a form of art”
“Its what separates us from artisans."
something doesn’t seem right there, will investigate later. College in 25 minutes.
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I’m a Victorian metalhead, pleased to meat you. | | | 16 Oct 2007 12:13 pm |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 5Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 2,309 OFFLINE | ah hah!
[Ar"ti*san ]
1.
One who professes and practices some liberal art; an artist.
[Obs.]
2.
One trained to manual dexterity in some mechanic art or trade; and handicraftsman; a mechanic.
This is willingly submitted to by the artisan, who can . . . compensate his additional toil and fatigue. Hume.
Syn. — Artificer; artist. — Artisan, Artist, Artificer. An artist is one who is skilled in some one of the fine arts; an artisan is one who exercises any mechanical employment. A portrait painter is an artist; a sign painter is an artisan, although he may have the taste and skill of an artist. The occupation of the former requires a fine taste and delicate manipulation; that of the latter demands only an ordinary degree of contrivance and imitative power. An artificer is one who requires power of contrivance and adaptation in the exercise of his profession. The word suggest neither the idea of mechanical conformity to rule which attaches to the term artisan, nor the ideas of refinement and of peculiar skill which belong to the term artist.
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I’m a Victorian metalhead, pleased to meat you. | | | 16 Oct 2007 04:04 pm |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 14Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 4,390 OFFLINE | Gunslang wrote:
Syn. — Artificer; artist. — Artisan, Artist, Artificer. An artist is one who is skilled in some one of the fine arts; an artisan is one who exercises any mechanical employment. A portrait painter is an artist; a sign painter is an artisan, although he may have the taste and skill of an artist. The occupation of the former requires a fine taste and delicate manipulation; that of the latter demands only an ordinary degree of contrivance and imitative power. An artificer is one who requires power of contrivance and adaptation in the exercise of his profession. The word suggest neither the idea of mechanical conformity to rule which attaches to the term artisan, nor the ideas of refinement and of peculiar skill which belong to the term artist.
Exactly. I don’t see what the hubbub was.
Well, writing can be the work of an artisan. Or an artist. But I write, and wish for others to write, for expressive purposes rather than to make a buck.
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Haruhi demands you join the MvC Otakus | | | 16 Oct 2007 08:18 pm |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 5Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 2,309 OFFLINE | no hubub, just a bsod in my head. also.... no, I lost it, never mind.
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I’m a Victorian metalhead, pleased to meat you. | | | 19 Oct 2007 09:56 pm |
Mr. Awsome Rep: 16 Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 8,499 OFFLINE | what about guys with short attension spans :/
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i was the first to get this badge.
| | | 22 Oct 2007 04:37 pm |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 14Joined: 26 Aug 2005 Posts: 4,390 OFFLINE | syphon pro wrote:
what about guys with short attension spans :/
Just write in pieces. Try and keep focus on it. Or write shorts. These are only tips I gave you, and the primary reason I gave the whole pre-writing segment was assuming not everyone is going to sit down and write even a whole short story in one sitting. Its all for jotting ideas you can return to later. I wouldn’t expect a fully completed short story from any casual writer, maybe not even more dedicated ones. Shoot, to fully complete something, it takes me at least two days.
Not everyone can just buckle down and write something; in fact, I’m willing to bet most people need to discipline themselves and distribute time to write and complete a work. If you can’t ever seem to do it, maybe its not for you.
If you find you can’t focus, write as much as you can in pre-writing and return to it later. Work in steps.
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Haruhi demands you join the MvC Otakus | | | 14 Nov 2007 08:56 am |
UBER 1337 Poster Rep: 26 Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 3,014 OFFLINE | These are really good tips. I will try them out.
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