Writing tips on the web

[Shelagh Watkins]

Before I set up this new board, I decided to do a search on the 'net -- well I would, wouldn't I? I'm a researcher. I Google therfore I am -- a researcher that is.

So, what did I find? The first website I visited was full of tips that I didn't find particularly helpful. With the emphasis on particularly. I hadn't read many of the tips when I came across this about avoiding using too many adverbs:

Be particularly wary of words ending with -ly.

It made me laugh, but it also made me stop reading further. I decided I would start a thread instead and see if anyone else had any useful tips or insights into the art of writing.

Tell me more, I'm always on the lookout for new ideas, and I don't mind stealing yours. LOL!

~Shelagh

[David S. Rosenberg]

I agree. "It" doesn't help paint any picture for the reader. Let's think about weak adjectives, too.

Big, small, short, tall, high, low, are flimsy at best. One person's idea of big differs from another. Without over doing it, descriptive phrases add clarity for the reader.

John dug a big hole to hide the the vynal bag.

Change to: John dug a grave-sized hole to hide the vynal bag.

Here the reference to the grave and the vynal bag in the same sentence sets an ominous tone.

[Sunny Frazier]

I just finished presenting a workshop on short story writing at the Public Safety Writers Conference in Vegas. When I teach short story writing, I make writers pick out these four items in their stories. I think they are crucial. Thought I should share.

1.Authenticating details. It's important to reach the reader by mixing fiction with fact. This will make the story convincing. Where do you find details? The Internet. Be careful not to isolate the story with a series of facts. Use them like chocolate chips in a cookie. Let readers be pleasantly surprised when they hit one.

2.Best line. It's the line you worked hardest at, or the words that came in a moment of genius. It will be the line that let's readers know you are an awesome writer, the line that forces them to acknowledge your craft. Caution: too many “best lines” wear readers out. Give one that delights.

3.Universal message. A story can, and should, be more than a story. It should be a piece that all readers can relate to on some level. Again, be subtle. No moralizing. I find my “message” usually comes at the halfway point in the story. It may also be the best line.

4.Tell-Me-Something-I-Don't-Know. A story stays in a reader's head when they can put the story down and tell someone, “Did you know such-and-such (insert fact or trivia)?” Imagination is a given, but stories created out of thin air quickly vaporize in the reader's mind. This goes hand-in-hand with authenticating details. It explains why you enjoy “CSI” so much.

[Robert Etheredge]

I know it is easy to use too many -ly adverbs. To that end, I have developed a software program, myWriterTools, that finds and helps you correct -ly adverbs in your Word document. It also helps find and replace commonly confused words, jargon, cliches and sexist language. You can find it at www.mywritertools.com

[Don Harold]

When searching for writing tips on the web, make you to use the right key words. Also, take time to verify if a website is reliable or not. For more tips on publishing, you can visit this substantial site: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Book-Marketing-Services-BookWhirlcom/...

BookWhirl.com
http://spnbabble.sitepronews.com/bookwhirl

[Don Harold]

Hello again Shelagh!

What kind of writing do you specialize/focus on? WebsiteProNews is one of the best sources in writing, publishing. and book marketing articles. You might also want to visit www.facebook.com/pages/Book-Marketing-Services-BookWhirlcom/1148523.... It's worth the visit. =)

BookWhirl.com
http://spnbabble.sitepronews.com/bookwhirl

[Shelagh Watkins]

Hi Don,

Thanks for the links!

~Shelagh

[WR.PARK]

Who’s the worst proofreader in the world? You and me; the author. We read lines the way we wrote them and become blind to simple mistakes the computer’s Spell Check cannot detect.

I just sent another manuscript to my agent after my English teacher wife edited it for structural content—and after I sent it to Glenn—who’s a wiz a proofreading. It came back with fourteen pages of spelling and misplaced words. I couldn’t believe that we had missed all those simple errors.

The worse thing any author can do is send a publisher a manuscript with spelling and misplaced word errors. It’ll get tossed, immediately.

Not only is Glenn excellent in what he does—he’s very reasonably priced. I recommend Glenn as your last stop before sending your finished work to an agent or publisher. You can contact him at: [e-mail]

Contact Glenn and give him a try. You won’t be disappointed with his work or affordable fee.

WR.PARK

[Emily Bryan]

I think when you started this thread, I sense you weren't looking for a grammar lesson. Or even suggestions on ways to improve the craft of writing. You asked for insights into the art of writing.

Here's mine for what it's worth. Find a kernel of an idea that's so explosive, so packed with conflict, that it won't let you sleep without dreaming about the characters who live in that fictive world. That's what propels a writer 400 pages. Not which form of a verb to use.

I have to meet a character whose life matters to me. Whose goals I understand, even if I wouldn't choose them for myself. Once the character begins whispering their secrets, I have to write the story.

Happy Writing,
Emily
www.emilybryan.com