T.R. Leton
Not necessarily in order:
1. Read your genre.
2. Take all these “Rules of Writing” you see on blogs and so forth with a grain of salt. Every author has their own opinion, and that’s all these are; opinions. Apparently, Elmore James says “never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.” I personally find that quite boring. But that’s James’ opinion and style and it definitely works for him, so great. You’ll find these so-called “rules” from different famous authors are broken left and right by other famous authors. Use what you learn to create your own style.
3. Read your manuscript out loud. If a sentence you’ve written makes you tongue-tied when you read it aloud, rework it.
4. Revise, Revise, Revise.
5. Programs like Hemingway and Grammarly are great, but they are not to live by. They are not always completely accurate in their assessment. I use them both, and if any sentence or grammar choice is flagged, I THINK long and hard whether or not I really want to write it that way. But the software can be hit or miss at many a time.
6. Join a local writer’s group. This is where you’ll get some of the best feedback. You’ll make new friends. They can definitely help you in your writing endeavor. I found one on meetup.com.
7. Not everyone will love your work. Keep a stiff upper lip when someone critiques you. At the same time, very few people are experts, so they’re just giving another opinion. Use balance and discernment (not pride) to determine if the advice you’re given really will make your writing better, or if the person giving it simply may be wrong. This can be challenging.
8. You’ll often hear “write every day.” I don’t write every day, but I think and plot and create ideas in my head for my books every day. I do SOMETHING every day to keep my mind in my universe. If you can’t write every day, you should be doing something (no matter how small) to further the advancement of your writing.
9. Find an editor. It might be hard to find someone you’ll work with well. Some say, “Pay me, I’ll take X weeks to edit, then give it back to you. End of business deal.” You may be okay with that. I, however, like someone I can work together with through the editing process, bouncing new ideas, concepts, and changes back and forth. This type of arrangement may be harder to find, and I was fortunate. You’ll find editors who’ll work on your script for a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Just be sure to communicate with them, be clear on what you need, and learn what they are willing to provide.
1. Read your genre.
2. Take all these “Rules of Writing” you see on blogs and so forth with a grain of salt. Every author has their own opinion, and that’s all these are; opinions. Apparently, Elmore James says “never use a verb other than ‘said’ to carry dialogue.” I personally find that quite boring. But that’s James’ opinion and style and it definitely works for him, so great. You’ll find these so-called “rules” from different famous authors are broken left and right by other famous authors. Use what you learn to create your own style.
3. Read your manuscript out loud. If a sentence you’ve written makes you tongue-tied when you read it aloud, rework it.
4. Revise, Revise, Revise.
5. Programs like Hemingway and Grammarly are great, but they are not to live by. They are not always completely accurate in their assessment. I use them both, and if any sentence or grammar choice is flagged, I THINK long and hard whether or not I really want to write it that way. But the software can be hit or miss at many a time.
6. Join a local writer’s group. This is where you’ll get some of the best feedback. You’ll make new friends. They can definitely help you in your writing endeavor. I found one on meetup.com.
7. Not everyone will love your work. Keep a stiff upper lip when someone critiques you. At the same time, very few people are experts, so they’re just giving another opinion. Use balance and discernment (not pride) to determine if the advice you’re given really will make your writing better, or if the person giving it simply may be wrong. This can be challenging.
8. You’ll often hear “write every day.” I don’t write every day, but I think and plot and create ideas in my head for my books every day. I do SOMETHING every day to keep my mind in my universe. If you can’t write every day, you should be doing something (no matter how small) to further the advancement of your writing.
9. Find an editor. It might be hard to find someone you’ll work with well. Some say, “Pay me, I’ll take X weeks to edit, then give it back to you. End of business deal.” You may be okay with that. I, however, like someone I can work together with through the editing process, bouncing new ideas, concepts, and changes back and forth. This type of arrangement may be harder to find, and I was fortunate. You’ll find editors who’ll work on your script for a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Just be sure to communicate with them, be clear on what you need, and learn what they are willing to provide.
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