Creative Writing Tips

    • When to Use Flashbacks

    • Flashbacks can be a great tool. They add clarity to your writing and can provide the background information that will explain your character''s motives. However, before you can provide the WHY of the story (seen in a flashback), you need to make sure people know the WHO and the WHAT. Give people a good understanding of your character before providing flashbacks or else the reader will lack any interest in the flashback''s content.
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    • Characterization - Love Before Death

    • If you want readers to be invested in your story, it's crucial that you make sure your reader falls in love with your character before you "kill them off." Note: This doesn't only apply when you are actually killing a character but applies in most situations. If your reader doesn't feel a strong connection with your character, then he or she won't care about the things that happen to your character. If you talk about how sad it was when you lost your best friend, make sure the reader loves your best friend too.
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    • Avoid Cliches

    • There are a ton of cliches, there's no denying that. Heck, there's actually a movie genre now which "pokes fun" at movie cliches a la Scary Movie, Date Movie, Epic Movie. Try and avoid falling into using these cliches unless you can come up with a unique twist for it.
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    • Quality != Quantity

    • A story doesn't have to be long to be good. It can be any length. Supposedly, Hemingway was challenged to tell his life story in six words and came up with: "For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn." Likewise, you can work magic with a page, five pages, ten pages, or a hundred. Don't get caught up in length!
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    • Elmore Leonard - Don't Waste Reader's Time

    • Make sure to write so that your reader feels like their time is being well spent. Cut out the filler words that drag the story and clog up your sentences and spare the details that your reader would skip anyway.
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