It hasn’t been long since we’ve written a “Quick Tips Review” blog, but the year is coming to an end, so let’s take a quick look back at the past few weeks:
NaNoWriMo people: Celebrate, then finish your book for real. Think about what helped you stay motivated during NaNoWriMo, and figure out how to adapt those tactics now that November is over.
Show this post to any fool who thinks writing is easy. Also, you can use it to remind yourself what your really trying to do on days you’re too hard on yourself. Sharing in a matter of (reading) hours what you’ve spent (writing) years developing is no easy task!
Now, lets take a look further back, to some other favorite tips from 2017:
Writer's block is a myth
Write how you talk
For Love Stories:
Both rescue each other
Both are well-developed
Both have goals outside the relationship
If the relationship is creepy, make sure it’s presented as creepy, not romantic
Neither have to be stunningly beautiful, just see each other that way
Both know their limits in the relationship, and the sexual content is appropriate for the audience.
Don’t let your idea of the “strong female character” ruin your girl’s fun—I promise it won’t weaken her to let her blush a little.
For Character Building:
Don’t oversimplify
Allow growth
Contrast your characters against others in the story
Ask yourself how your character would do if placed into other stories/situations to find out more about what they’re made of.
Remember, even the best authors get negative feedback and one star reviews. When you're feeling discouraged, look up the reviews of your favorite book. I'm sure you'll find rough reviews. Books are art, and art is subjective.
Most importantly, remember that writing is a personal process. You might not find formulas or writing exercises helpful. Or, you might find them very helpful. Figure out what works for you. Your best atmosphere. Your personal pet peeves. Don't let anyone tell you your process is wrong, or their process is better, because every process is unique. Plenty of writing tips can seem contradictory due to how personal the process is.
So remember, there are only three universal rules to writing, and they're all you will ever need. Keep reading, keep writing, and keep doing both persistently!
NaNoWriMo people: Celebrate, then finish your book for real. Think about what helped you stay motivated during NaNoWriMo, and figure out how to adapt those tactics now that November is over.
Show this post to any fool who thinks writing is easy. Also, you can use it to remind yourself what your really trying to do on days you’re too hard on yourself. Sharing in a matter of (reading) hours what you’ve spent (writing) years developing is no easy task!
Now, lets take a look further back, to some other favorite tips from 2017:
Writer's block is a myth
Write how you talk
For Love Stories:
Both rescue each other
Both are well-developed
Both have goals outside the relationship
If the relationship is creepy, make sure it’s presented as creepy, not romantic
Neither have to be stunningly beautiful, just see each other that way
Both know their limits in the relationship, and the sexual content is appropriate for the audience.
Don’t let your idea of the “strong female character” ruin your girl’s fun—I promise it won’t weaken her to let her blush a little.
For Character Building:
Don’t oversimplify
Allow growth
Contrast your characters against others in the story
Ask yourself how your character would do if placed into other stories/situations to find out more about what they’re made of.
Remember, even the best authors get negative feedback and one star reviews. When you're feeling discouraged, look up the reviews of your favorite book. I'm sure you'll find rough reviews. Books are art, and art is subjective.
Most importantly, remember that writing is a personal process. You might not find formulas or writing exercises helpful. Or, you might find them very helpful. Figure out what works for you. Your best atmosphere. Your personal pet peeves. Don't let anyone tell you your process is wrong, or their process is better, because every process is unique. Plenty of writing tips can seem contradictory due to how personal the process is.
So remember, there are only three universal rules to writing, and they're all you will ever need. Keep reading, keep writing, and keep doing both persistently!