Tag Archives: Writing Tips

Today’s Writing Tip

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Be aware of the different types of story action. These can be physical, emotional, or mental. A variety of each gives depth to the story and helps keep your readers engaged. However, excessive use of one or the other can actually get boring.

For example, too much physical action can actually get boring after a while. I’ve read a few where I was saying, sometimes even aloud, “C’mon, already!” for either chase or fight scenes. It’s good to pause from time to time and visit what the character is thinking and/or feeling during this time, even if it’s only a sentence. You don’t want to stop the action, only add a dash of variety. The same goes for long soliloquies of introspection that can eventually bring the reader to a state of catatonia. And just how long can you sustain an emotional meltdown before it becomes maudlin?

Not to use an old cliche, but variety IS the spice of life. If you want your story to come off as real, include a three-dimensional view. Just remember that sometimes less is more. A well-placed sentence reflecting on the character’s reaction can work wonders.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Editing can be painful. As authors, our words are our children and can be hard to delete, even when we know a scene needs to go. One way to soften the blow is to cut and paste it into an “edits” file arranged by chapter. If you decide to put it back, it’s there.

If you eventually decide it really wasn’t needed, it’s a lot easier to zap that file when the final version goes to press. On the other hand, if you have a real blockbuster on your hands, at some point you may want to work them back in for an “expanded” version or literary “director’s cut” you release later.

Today’s Writing Tip

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We’re all familiar with spin-offs from major works, many of which start a trend in popular genres. Examples are Harry Potter and the Twilight series, which have inspired volumes and volumes of stories with a similar premise. Riding the wave of another author’s success must be done with finesse, however. It may have a similar theme, but needs to stand on its own merits. If it doesn’t have some originality and its own value, you just look lazy and incapable of coming up with an original idea.

I’ve seen some really cheesy imitations where I didn’t get past the first chapter. Some were poorly written, others simply unoriginal. We may read our favorite books more than once, but you don’t necessarily want to deal with a remake, kind of like when Hollywood does a remake of one of your favorite movies, that doesn’t quite cut it.

When you come up with an idea that’s similar to an existing work, put some serious creative effort into making it your own with a different twist. Originality and strong writing go a long way toward retaining and gaining fans.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Timelines are sometimes a real challenge, especially with parallel plot action. I’ve heard authors complain about time zones while I’ve had some situations in my science fiction with characters on entirely different planets or even traveling at relativistic or warp speeds in different timeframes!

Some stories require more precision than others with regard to what day or time it might be. If it doesn’t matter, then all you have to watch for, if you don’t write scenes in chronological order, is that they’re in the proper sequence. If you require more accuracy, one thing you can do is put the supposed date (or perhaps even the time) at the beginning of each scene, even if you erase it when you’re ready to go to press. Then you can tell at a glance if it’s in the proper place.

Today’s Writing Tip

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The general rule is to start your story with your main character. However, if this person’s importance fades later, you might want to make it a prologue if that scene is essential to the story.

This is something that relates to yesterday’s blog about when a minor character takes over the story. If he or she steps into the star role, you may need to introduce them in chapter one. If both your intended main and the minor character are both in the first chapter, this isn’t a problem. You just need to open with the main character’s POV. However, if the one taking over doesn’t come on the scene until later, it’s more of a challenge.

If anyone out there has encountered a similar issue I’d love to hear how you solved it.

 

Today’s Writing Tip

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Have you ever had a minor character suddenly take over your story? It’s great to have one that’s so strong, but this often presents a challenge. I’ve had this happen to me in my Star Trails Series and find it happening again in my WIP.

In Star Trails, I had to make sure one of those troublesome characters wound up in jail or prison from time to time so the other characters could run the story. In my current WIP, I’m still trying to figure out exactly how to handle it but here are three things I’m considering.

1) Let him or her take over. This is likely to require a major rewrite, but might be worth it.

2) Strengthen intended main character. Make sure there are enough story problems and issues for him or her to deal with to make it interesting. If things are cruising along too easily, throw some stumbling blocks out there.

3) Figure out who’s most important to the story line. Maybe the story is being told through the wrong character’s eyes. Who is most affected by the plot?

Right now I have two characters who score equally in importance. They work together, but their lives are influenced in two different ways by the plot. To be honest, I’m still trying to figure this out. LOL!

Today’s Writing Tip

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Do you back-up your work daily? I learned the hard way about doing that a long time ago. While computers are more reliable than they were years ago, it could still happen and be catastrophic if all your work were lost, especially those very productive days.

I find the easiest way to do this is with a thumb drive. You may even want to keep a few versions, in case you might want to go back and see a previous version you’d since edited out, then change your mind. But the biggest nightmare of all is losing your entire story to a hard drive crash. Computers and word processors have been the author’s best friend, but unless you had a house fire, in the old days with typewriters, you never lost your entire story to hitting the wrong command key.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Another way to maintain continuity for various viewpoints is to cut and paste relevant scenes into a separate document so you can read them in sequence. That way you don’t have to dig through anything in between to make sure there’s a logical flow to what they’re doing.

I don’t always write scenes in sequence, but skip around. Since it’s important to keep the flow of the story going in the proper order, I find this is helpful to maintain character development within the story. Characters should change and evolve, and by having all their action in a single document makes it easier to see the story through their eyes and how their motivation or attitude might change.

Today’s Writing Tips

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I have a difficult time writing from only one point of view. In fact, in my current WIP, I started writing in first person and quickly found myself stuck. When I opened it up to other POVs it started to move. I think knowing characters’ motivation is important and that is harder to cover without getting into their head.

However, multiple viewpoints can be a challenge. I’ve found that when I’m on a roll with one particular character it’s easier to stick to that one until I hit a wall, even if I’m skipping over chapters to do so. That way you at least have continuity for that person.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Yesterday I mentioned using character interviews to get to know him or her better as well as a good promotional vehicle. Another way to get to know your characters is by meditating on him or her. If they seem lost or you don’t know what they need to do next, it’s time to evaluate why they’re there. A few things to consider are:

What is their place in the story?

How do they fit into the plot?

What motivates them?

What do they want?

Answering these questions will help you in one of two ways. You’ll either figure out what they need to do or you’ll discover that they’re extraneous and don’t belong in your story. If you really like him or her, file them away for a future story but don’t bog your story down with anyone who doesn’t contribute to the story line and plot.