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Lily G.
Hi everyone. I'm a new member. I am mainly an artist/illustrator but I also like to write poems and short stories, as well as children's stories.
I would love to have my work critiqued if possible.
Thank you in advance.

Zoe B:

Use of many senses
Although people mainly imagine things happening by picturing them, it can improve your story to show the sounds, smells, temperatures and various other stimuli of the scene that's in your head. This helps to get the scene across to the reader in a more complete form, drawing them further into your world. Thankfully, you don't need to worry about this until you start to rewrite the story, but make sure you remember it before you consider your story finished.

There's a lot that I've missed out, such as creating believable characters, setting the tone from the very beginning, and making sure that no other protagonist would have been suitable for the story, but that's what fully fledged books are for. This writeup is just to set you off in the (hopefully) right direction.

Disclaimer: these are just ideas I've read in books. I'm not a published author, and I could even have misinterpreted what I've read. If you're an aspiring writer, take what I've said with a pinch of salt.

Zoe B:

A growing protagonist
Your protagonist should be quite different by the end of the story. The events of the story should have affected them on a deep level. If they haven't, are you sure the story is worth telling?

Zoe B:

Slowly rising conflict
The story should start off with an interesting predicament, which escalates with stronger conflicts and bigger obstacles in the protagonist's path as the story progresses. The story should continue to progress this way until the tension becomes unbearable and the climax ensues.

Zoe B:

Cause and Effect
Everything that happens in your story should result in something else happening. If it's not related to the plot or character growth, cut it out. This is why knowing your story's premise before you start can help, if that's what works for you.

Conversely, everything that happens in your story should be the result of something else happening. Important characters should only be introduced at the very beginning, what they get up to should seem logical based on what they've already done, and anything resembling a deux ex machina should be avoided at all costs.

Zoe B:

Premise
"Your story should prove something, and only one thing. To take some examples from films, it might prove that Neo is The One (as The Matrix did), that trying to have an affair will make Craig Schwartz suffer for eternity (as Being John Malkovich did), or that Jessica Stein and Helen Cooper aren't ideal partners (as Kissing Jessica Stein did). The premise doesn't need to be a universal truth, only something true for your story's characters."

Zoe B:

Writing Style
"It's true that everyone should develop their own unique writing style. It's also true that what works for some people won't work for others.

"For example, some people find it easiest to work out stepsheets before they write a single word of their first draft, whereas others like to write aimlessly before working out which story they've written, and then rewriting it appropriately.

"Tips for writing good fiction" http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=...

A great guide!

I'll be posting paragraphs from this article by zoe b. in the comment sections in this thread. Hope it helps so that you can always come back to the same place to find the info. Please go back to the original link above to thank Zoe B. if you find it helpful!

Know of any sites or blogs for writing children's books? If you have a quality link to share that really teaches about the nuts and bolts, just start it with http://www. No fluffy stuff, please! :O) Thanks.