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7 Tips to Improve Your Writing!

This is post #16 of 19 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Today I’m sharing seven tips that will help improve your writing!

Creative Writing Tips and Techniques

This is post #15 of 19 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Do you really want to be a writer? If so! Stick with us we tell you about Creative Writing Tips that guide you along the way.

1. Get Ready To Be A Writer: First thing to get ready to be a writer, you need to have your writing resource, find a comfort writing place and zone, improved writing habit and reading habit. A real writer does not need too much equipment; you just need to have only pens, pencils, paper or your Macbook, laptop or Tablet. Next, find a place that makes you creative imagination expands. It could be your bedroom or wherever you like. If you like music along the way, just play it!

2. Create Your Writing Styles and Ideas: A good writer reads as much as s/he can. By doing so, it will help you discover your writing style. Writing style is your unique skill; it is how you talk to your readers. Then you need to explore the ideas. Where can you find ideas? Just at everything around you! There are billions of ideas you will find.

3. Create Characters: A creative writer knows how to create characters. Each character must be unique and make readers care about. To create good characters, you can look at your friends, anyone around or animal and nature.

4. Decide Your Story’s Viewpoint: Before you start your story, you need to decide whether you want to tell your readers about everything related to your characters at once or you want to reveal it stage by stage. That’s your call!

5. Get Ready To Write: When you feel you are ready to write, start a few paragraphs. It is a good way to keep your story flow. But do not though it all at once!

6. Make Powerful Words: Powerful words are very important in story-telling. Using powerful word is like have a magic wand. So think and write vivid or powerful words as much as you can think of.

7. Make Characters Speak: Make your characters speak to each other or think. This will help your readers hear your characters talking and get to know them.

8. Edit Your Story: After you finish your first story, give yourself time to rest before start editing. So it is easy for you to find mistakes in your story. And find out all the errors including spellings and grammars errors.

9. Complete Your Story and Next! Now you have your story done. It is your choice to decide where to make a new story or continue writing your story. Some stories like Harry Potter, Narnia and Star Wars are series stories. Decide!

Now start writing your story with Creative Writing Tips!

Source by Pisith Phal

Expressive Writing – Tips and Exercises

This is post #14 of 19 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Who is it for?

Anyone can benefit from Expressive Writing. Many people keep a journal in their teens, which isn’t surprising given that this is a time of huge change and adjustment. However returning to (or picking up) Expressive Writing as an adult can be equally beneficial.

If you love talking, you might discover that writing provides you with a more objective and balanced perspective. If you find it hard to talk-in general or about something particularly sensitive, you might find that you are more comfortable exploring this through writing. In a nutshell, it’s easier to write something than to say it.

Why should I do it?

Did you know you can hugely improve your health from writing? Writing can lead to a reduction in stress, better sleep, a stronger immune system, improved relationships, better academic results, improved performance at work and even a better memory! Research also shows that writing can also improve overall psychological well-being, and assists in the management of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder.

So where do I start?

So, you probably want to write in a way that helps you get all of the benefits we’ve just talked about. Below are our ‘Top Tips’ to make sure you get the most out of your writing experience. Follow these guidelines and begin writing your way towards a healthier, happier you.

Our Top Tips for Expressive Writing

Do:

Find a time and a place where you are comfortable and won’t be disturbed.

Write about something personal and important to you.

Include your feelings and emotions.

Re-read your writing if you can (sometimes this can feel uncomfortable, in which case you may like to leave it for a while).

Reflect! Ask yourself: Did anything surprising or unexpected come up in my writing? What new insights have I gained?

Do whatever you like with your writing afterwards – carry it around with you, store it somewhere safe, or throw it out. Each action will make an impact on how you mentally ‘tag’ the piece of writing. Is it to be cherished? Is it important? Do you want it out of your life?

If you’re worried about someone finding your writing-don’t be afraid to destroy it afterwards. Simply knowing that you’ll be doing this can allow a whole new level of freedom and authenticity with your writing.

Don’t:

Worry about spelling, grammar or style of writing – this isn’t the important part.

Write for someone else – this is just for you.

Censor what you’re writing.

Include only factual information.

Critique your writing or try to rationalise it – sometimes it’s OK to just get it out, even if it makes no sense.

Write about a difficult or emotionally charged topic before you’re ready. If it’s too much, leave it for another day.

So, now you know how to get the most of out your writing, but where do you start?

If you know what you’d like to write about, just jump straight in! However if you feel you need a bit of inspiration to get going, check out our top exercises below.

Our Top Writing Exercises

The Novice Writer

You’d like to get started, but are feeling tentative about expressing yourself through writing and are a little unsure where to begin. Start with something short, easy and concrete – you’ll be on your way in no time.

Option 1: Spend two minutes writing about your favourite hot drink. What is it? Why do you like it? How often do you drink it?

Option 2: Spend two minutes writing about the weather. How is it today? What does the sky look like? Are there clouds?

You might be surprised with where these initial exercises lead you. If you want to write for longer, keep going! They could bring up particular memories or feelings. Let your writing go wherever it takes you.

The Established Writer

You’re comfortable with the basics, but want to try something new and take things a step further. Try one of the following interesting exercises:

Option 1: Write continuously for 8 minutes about whatever comes into your head. Don’t put your pen down until the time is up. If nothing comes to mind just repeat the sentence before.

Option 2: Employ a simple mindfulness exercise. Turn inwards for a moment and focus on your feelings right at this instant. Write about how you feel physically (notice tensions in your body), what your emotions are and what your thoughts are. Write it all down.

You might be surprised at what the above exercises reveal. Option 1 is special in that it allows your subconscious to take the stage-there’s no time for the picky parts of the conscious mind to censor what you write. Option 2 may make you aware of parts of yourself that don’t always get much attention.

The Experienced Writer

You’re a regular writer, but are looking to challenge yourself even further. Try one of these suggestions:

Option 1: Write about a difficult relationship in your life. This could be a relationship that still exists or one that has ended. Write about it for 5 minutes. Now do this again, but from the other persons perspective. Finish by re-reading both pieces of writing and noting down any new insights. How do you feel about it now?

Option 2: Write a letter to someone who you have struggled to communicate with – either at the present time or in the past. Write down everything you want to say to them. Be open and honest, and do not hold back. You can throw this letter out if you like.

One of the benefits of writing is that it allows us to shift our perspectives and maintain this for a period of time-something that is harder to do when thinking or talking; however it can lead to incredible changes in how we see and understand a situation.

Whether you are a novice, established or experienced writer, there is a writing exercise for you. After you’ve mastered these, there are endless more to explore. All you need to do now is take the plunge and begin writing!

Source by Caroline L Macrory

Writers on Writing – Charlie Rose

This is post #13 of 19 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

All rights and credit go to Charlie Rose.

Tips for Writing Crime Fiction and Thrillers:

This is post #12 of 19 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Here are my top ten tips for writing crime fiction and thrillers that will please the reader and make publishers start groping for their chequebooks.

1) Know the market.

Read very widely. As many authors as possible, not as many books. If you’ve read one book by Patricia Cornwell or Linwood Barclay, then move on. You know their shtick. Find what else is out there. That means also reading the classics, knowing the history of the genre, and reading plenty of fiction in translation too. It also means reading the relevant non-fiction. If you’re writing political espionage thrillers, for example, you need to know the political, military and security bacground If you don’t, your readers will – and you’ll be caught out.

2) Understand where the leading edge lies.

The biggest names (eg: Coben, Rankin, Reichs) are not the most current. They built their reputations years back. Try to locate the sexiest (biggest selling, most praised, most innovative, prize winning) debut novels. That’s what editors are buying today. That’s the market you’re competing in.

3) Don’t just trot out the cliches.

You’ve got a serial killer have you? A terrorist bomb plot? Be tough with yourself. These things are tired old cliches. They can work if you handle them in a new or dazzling way, but the old ways are no longer enough.

4) Get complex. Your plot almost certainly needs a brain-aching level of complexity, and a surprising number of well-planned, well-executed twists. Because modern crime authors have become really good at developing complex but plausible plots, and because modern thriller writers have become so adept at delivering an endless chain of impossible-to-see-it-coming twists, you can’t afford to be less than devilishly clever yourself. With rare exceptions, simple no longer sells.

5) Stay with the darkness.

Your book must be dark and tough. That’s your entry ticket to the genre. What you do there can be very varied, but cute, cosy crime is a very limited market now. If you want to write cosy crime, then expect a small readership and meagre sales.

6) Don’t forget jeopardy.

Crime novels now are also thrillers. It’s not OK for the detective to solve the mystery and explain it all to a hushed and respectful audience. On the contrary, (s)he’s got to be in fear of his/her life. It’s got to be white knuckle as well as intellectually satisfying.

7) Concentrate on character.

Crime and thriller plots are easily forgettable, and often feel very samey anyway. Characters, on the other hand, never leave us: Holmes, Marlowe, Elvis Cole, Hannibal Lecter. If you find a strong character, and do everything else reasonably competently, then you quite likely have fiction that’ll sell.

8) Write well!

Bad writing will almost certainly kill your chances of success. And quite right too. You don’t have to be flowery. You do have to be completely competent.

9) Be economical.

Thrillers need to be taut. Check your book for needless chapters, your chapters for needless paragraphs, your paragraps for needless sentences, and your sentences for needless words. Then do it all over again. Twice.

10) Be perfectionist.

Very good isn’t good enough. Dazzling is the target. Being tough with yourself is the essential first ingredient. Getting someone else to be tough with you is quite possibly the second.

I said ten tips, didn’t I? What the heck, here’s an eleventh:

11) Don’t give up.

Be persistent. You learn by doing. You’ll improve. Think about building your skills, engaging with the industry, or getting editorial advice. All those things will increase your maturity as a writer. Now write that thriller, polish it – and sell it. Best of luck! http://wp.me/p6E30u-qt

 

Source by Harry Bingham

Writing, Marketing and Publishing Tips for Authors with Bestselling Author Patrick King

This is post #11 of 11 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Justine Magazine: Authors Share Writing Tips! Veronica Roth, Brandon Reichs, Kami Garcia & More!

This is post #10 of 11 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Writing Tips – What Is Mood?

This is post #9 of 11 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

Writing Tips – What Is Mood?

People talk about the mood of a piece of literary work, what do they mean? Sometimes you may hear tone and mood mentioned. Are they the same thing or different, and primarily what does mood have to do with writing in the first place?

Mood is the emotions that you feel while you are reading. Some literature makes you feel sad, others joyful, some make you angry. The main purpose for some poems is to set a mood.

Tone reflects the author’s attitude toward what he/she has written, and mood refers to the reaction, the feel readers get from the written work. In nonfiction articles and books, facts are the basis of the piece. Readers will respond to the mood they create. The topic or subject of the article, what details are focused on, the author’s tone and the writing style all work towards creating the mood.

In fiction writing there are many genres, each requiring special handling. The theme, plot, characters, tone and setting all help create the mood. Each scene portrays the characters point of view and emotions. A scene or a chapter may feel romantic, funny, scary, mysterious or full of suspense, this is the mood.

When the work is crafted by a master, you the reader may feel many moods throughout the book. Some chapters may make you feel light and carefree; another chapter may leave you in tears. Sometimes you can feel the fear of a character to such a degree that you actually are fearful yourself and find that you are looking over your own shoulder. This is what mood does for writing, just as it does in movies and music.

How do you, as an author create the mood? It is actually quite easy, yet at the same time takes practice and skill to set the mood or atmosphere exactly the way you want the reader to feel. You need to let your reader know what the character is feeling, without directly telling them. In the sentence, “She was scared as she opened the envelope.” The reader is told that the character is scared but the feeling isn’t felt by the reader. Changing the same sentence to; “Her hands shook, and her lower lip quivered as she tore open the envelope.” You feel her fear even though you were not directly told that she was scared or fearful. That is what creating the mood or atmosphere is meant to do; the story should capture the reader’s emotion and make them want to keep reading and turning pages.

Writing advice from romance authors

This is post #8 of 11 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

What tips do best-selling romance writers have for newbies?

5 Tips for Writing Fantasy

This is post #7 of 11 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”