Tag Archives: Writing Tips

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

technology-3 copy

Words are an author’s tools and you should be adding to your vocabulary on a regular basis.  One way to do this is to subscribe to services that provide a word of the day or even read the dictionary. You’d be surprised the cool words you’ll find!

I know I’ve mentioned the book “The Superior Person’s Book of Words” by Peter Bowler previously. It contains a collection of words that are obsolete and thus seldom if ever heard, making many of them ideal for use as veiled insults. For example, did you know an alliaphage is a garlic eater?

I came across one the other day that had me laughing for two days. I kid you not. I don’t know how it escaped me for so long. The word is blivit. Feel free to google it. There is quite a wide variety of definitions, many of which are quite amusing, albeit crude. My personal favorite is “10 lbs of crap in an 8 lb bag”, i.e. an overstuffed sack of you-know-what. If you don’t know anyone (or have a character in one of your stories) that fits that description, then you are definitely missing out.

Personally, I think there should be Blivit Awards, similar to the old Golden Fleece Awards from years past. Washington D.C. and Hollywood are loaded with candidates.

 

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

technology-copy

Have you ever read a scene in a book and realized you had no idea what that character looked like? I really appreciate it when the author provides that information. However, I’ve heard some say that they think the reader would prefer to imagine him or her as they like. Personally, I think that is the author’s right and responsibility. If I want to invent a character, I’ll write my own story.

There’s also the matter that some descriptions need to be repeated as reader reminders. This is especially true of minor characters who may have been described several pages or chapters previously. It never hurts to drop a hint every now and then. Another great identifier is a gesture or some other habit that is linked to a given character. For example, maybe she tosses her hair or he plays with his mustache.

This same advice goes for certain settings and locations in your story. If you do a good job the first time, you can minimize them later. Imagery makes a story come alive. If you want your reader to visualize the story as you did, you need to provide this information.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

typewriter-2 copy

Avoiding Deus ex machina endings should go without saying. If you’re unfamiliar with that term, literally it means in so many words that God intervenes. If you have built a faith-based story in which this is a credible outcome, then that’s okay. However, it’s not acceptable for other types of fiction.

Other than the literal translation, it refers to an ending where something or someone comes along out of nowhere, like some sort of literary superhero, and takes care of wrapping up the story. These are annoying to say the least. As an author, if you get your characters in such an incredible mess you can’t fix it more appropriately, then you need to go back to plotting with your thinking cap securely in place.

If you write sci-fi or fantasy, you have a bit more freedom provided you set up the possibility for a dramatic ending beforehand so you don’t spring it on the reader out of the blue. Miracles are fine, as long as you develop the possibility beforehand.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

woman- copy

You’ve probably already figured out that many of these tips derive from my finding just such an error in something I read. This is another example.

Occasionally you’re likely to have a character who speaks a different language. When using a foreign language that you do not speak, be cautious when using translation software because it often doesn’t reflect the correct syntax. If possible, find a native speaker to confirm whether or not it’s correct.

This is another situation where it may slip right past most readers. However, if they have any knowledge of the language, whether it be French or Klingon, it’s advisable to make sure it’s properly represented. If your character is trying to speak a language of which they are not a native, then you could get away with this, but not if they should know the proper way to say it.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

woman-2 copy

Today’s tip goes very much along with yesterday’s, but is a bit more specific. If you’re writing a crime novel or one that involves police procedure in some way, make sure you use the correct terminology and processes. This is not always as easy as it may seem, just from watching television shows.

Different police departments are likely to have slightly different procedures at the detail level, which gives some degree of latitude. The basics, however, should ring true.

Not to be a nag, but as an author it’s your business to know what you’re talking about. Along similar lines, I remember reading a novel some time ago which involved a character in the military telling a subordinate to “Relax.” Really? Don’t you think that he’d probably say, “At ease, soldier?”

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

write-2 copy

One thing that’s important if a novel is going to sound convincing is for the occupations of the character(s) to sound authentic. I remember beta reading a story many years ago where the main character worked as a computer programmer, yet everything about it was inaccurate. I have done some programming before and immediately recognized that the author didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. That definitely did not make the book credible much less impress me with the author’s dedication to accuracy.

Okay, I’m a bit of a break about those things, but it makes a big difference. Assuming your reader won’t know the difference is a BIG MISTAKE. Some of us do, and it will result in a abysmal review and someone who will probably never read another thing you write.

Now that I have my rant out of the way, the point of today’s tip is that every occupation has its own jargon. Use enough in character dialog to sound authentic, but don’t boggle the reader’s mind with too many acronyms. That, of course, is going too far the other way. A few are okay, but even then the reader may appreciate it if you remind them from time to time what they stand for.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

writer- copy

This is something I’ve mentioned before, but it can make the difference between a professionally formatted work and one that screams, “Amateur!” Have you ever noticed that formatting for fiction is different than nonfiction? Fiction typically has indented paragraphs, nonfiction has block paragraphs. If you don’t believe me, go into a bookstore (or your own bookshelf) some time to see for yourself.

I don’t know why this convention evolved but I’m sure there’s a reason. I suspect that perhaps block paragraphs make it easier for the reader to grasp nonfiction concepts in small bites whereas a novel should flow more easily.

I remember the first time I sat down to format a book I realized I’d never paid much attention to such things. When you become an Indie Author it becomes your business to know. Other details, such as headers, footers, pagination, chapter headings, and so forth are more negotiable.

The next time you read, pay attention to the formatting. It can provide various do’s and don’t’s for your own.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

writing-pad-copy

Editing your own work is always a challenge. It’s easy to read over typos because your brain tends to see what it expects. You also have your own writing style, which of course will seem natural to you, even if it has something fundamentally unclear that a reader will trip over.

One way to help overcome these obstacles is to read your story aloud. You can tell more easily if the flow of the words is natural, often discovering a better way to arrange them. If nothing else, read the dialog out loud, which helps determine whether or not it sounds authentic.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

laptop-copy

Watch for proper subject-verb agreement. This may seem obvious, but beyond the basics, such as “Writing skill IS important” vs. “Writing skill and grammar ARE important”, it isn’t always so clear.

This is often the case if there’s a prepositional phrase somewhere between the subject and verb. It’s really easy, and I’ve done this a lot myself, to take the subject of the prepositional phrase as the subject for the verb. I’ve even seen such things slip past editors from time to time. For example, “The mother of the kittens IS grey and white”. To get rid of the troublesome prepositional phrase you could say “The kittens’s mother is grey and white.”

I think everyone hated diagramming sentences, but this is a good example where having those skills helps. Too many people think because they can talk that they can write. Thus, they “may be talking as they be speaking”. Correct grammar is important if you want to build a solid reputation as a professional writer.

Today’s Writing Tip

Posted on by

laptop-4 copy

Every now and then a short story contest comes along that has a tight deadline. Thus, if you don’t already have an idea in mind, you’re stuck. There’s one formula to come up with a story that is fun and can help you put something together quickly. It’s as easy as filling in the blanks.

This involves using the classic “What if?” premise: What if a ____ and a ____ went to _____ and ______.

The wackier your answers, the better and more original it will be. For practice, fill in the blanks based on your favorite sit-com or movie. You can sometimes get an idea rolling with no more than the “What if” portion. For example, the old sit-com ALF was based on “What if a space alien crashed into someone’s house and couldn’t leave because his ship was damaged?”