background preloader

Writing Tips

Facebook Twitter

Top 10 Tips : Starting and Finishing the 1st Draft - Rasmus Rasmussen dot com. With this year’s Nanowrimo, I will be finishing the first draft of a novel for the fifth time.

Top 10 Tips : Starting and Finishing the 1st Draft - Rasmus Rasmussen dot com

It’s a great feeling, to reach that last page and set down that last period. Whenever I’ve done that, I always sit and stare blankly at the screen for a while. In slight disbelief that I did it. That it’s over. However, getting there is no picnic. But like the artist starts with a sketch, so does the writer. 01 : Hatch the plot First thing you’ll need is a story to tell. 02 : Understand your characters Take your main characters and write up profiles for them. 03 : It begins with the end J. 04 : Write out scene-cards Try to identify what the main turning points in your story will be and write them down on index cards. Follow The 40 Tips that Upgrade your Writing Skills Master Level. 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer.

When George Plimpton asked Ernest Hemingway what the best training for an aspiring writer would be in a 1954 interview, Hem replied, “Let’s say that he should go out and hang himself because he finds that writing well is impossibly difficult.

25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer

Then he should be cut down without mercy and forced by his own self to write as well as he can for the rest of his life. At least he will have the story of the hanging to commence with.” Words of Wisdom: 101 Tips from the World’s Most Famous Authors. If you've ever wanted to sit down with your favorite writer and ask advice, then you should take a look at these tips from some of the most famous authors in the world.

Words of Wisdom: 101 Tips from the World’s Most Famous Authors

These valuable bits of information provide guidance on strengthening your writing skills, becoming a better fiction writer or poet, learning to tap into your creativity, advice on education and school, and even a few suggestions on success and living a meaningful life. Of course, another excellent way of improving your writing is through traditional or online master’s degrees in creative writing. General Writing Tips Improve any type of writing you do with these solid tips from successful writers themselves. Ernest Hemingway. Tips for Beginning Writers. 25 Insights on Becoming a Better Writer. IdiomSite.com - Find out the meanings of common sayings. Synonym Finder » Find synonyms, antonyms & definition for (almost) any word. (More) tips for writing well (Austin Govella at Thinking and Making)

Published Wed, Jul 8, 2009 by Austin Govella.

(More) tips for writing well (Austin Govella at Thinking and Making)

Updated Wed, Jul 8, 2009. As an editor, I’ve noticed several recurring bad habits you heathens would do well to disabuse yourselves of immediately. Almost without exception, these bad habits instantiate themselves as a series of stock phrases and constructions that reflect a lack of focus, a lack of fully developed argument, or the kind of intellectual laziness that sets in as you slog through your first draft. These things happen, That’s ok. Editing helps you save yourselves from these offenses before your thoughts hit the world and everyone knows your dirty secrets. but you can edit yourself, and you should. 16 things to check when you edit Be vicious when you edit. 1. 100 Most beautiful words in the English language* Kurt Vonnegut explains drama.

I was at a Kurt Vonnegut talk in New York a few years ago.

Kurt Vonnegut explains drama

Talking about writing, life, and everything. He explained why people have such a need for drama in their life. He said, “People have been hearing fantastic stories since time began. The problem is, they think life is supposed to be like the stories. A Subtle Kind of Love - A Small Story. A SUBTLE KIND OF LOVE.

A Subtle Kind of Love - A Small Story.

A story. He loved her in a distant kind of way, the same way the sun heats the Earth. If she were to disappear completely, he knew through pure logic that it would have no great, disastrous effect on him. He would not cease to be; he would not stop breathing; his heart would not stop beating; the world would not stop spinning. The sun would keep shining, radiating heat, if the Earth were not there. And yet... Eight Secrets Which Writers Won’t Tell You. Image from Flickr by Lazurite This is not particularly relevant to the post, but I’m getting an awful lot of comments telling me, often a little snarkily, “it’s ‘THAT’ not ‘WHICH’”.

Eight Secrets Which Writers Won’t Tell You

The “don’t use which for restrictive clauses” rule comes (as far as I can tell) from Strunk and White. Plenty of authors, including Austen, have used “which” exactly as I use it in the title. It’s very commonly used like this here in England, so I’m guessing my comments are coming from US readers. There was never a period in the history of English when “which” at the beginning of a restrictive relative clause was an error. I thought about putting “that” in the title – but I like the sound of “which” between “secrets” and “writers”.

And with that out of the way, enjoy the post! Synonym Finder & Find synonyms, antonyms & definition for (almost)... - StumbleUpon. Writing Tips from C. S. Lewis - Till He Comes. Pen Zen: Bring Clarity to Writing. Photo by g2slp Have you ever read an email from someone that was too wordy, lacked focus, and left you confused?

Pen Zen: Bring Clarity to Writing

How can we learn from reading such emails to improve our own communication? How do we compose emails and writings that others will actually want to read? The ability to write clearly is crucial to getting your message across no matter what you’re writing, whether it’s an email, a blog post, a magazine article, or a letter to a friend. Clear and concise writing is vital to having your words read and understood. The whole purpose of most writing is to inform readers of something or to persuade people to do something. Before you can write clearly, you have to be able to think clearly. 54 Tips For Writers, From Writers.

The entire writing process is fraught with perils.

54 Tips For Writers, From Writers

Many writers would argue that the hardest part of writing is beginning. When asked what was the most frightening thing he had ever encountered, novelist Ernest Hemingway said, “A blank sheet of paper.” Other writers believe that ideas are easy, it’s in the execution of those ideas that the hard work really begins. Eight Secrets Which Writers Won’t Tell You.