Creative Writing Tips

    • 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.
    • Comments()

    • Don't Keep Secrets From Your Reader

    • When you're writing a story, don't cheat the reader out of information. If a piece of information is important to the story and the character knows it, let the reader in on the secret. You're cheating the story if you make crucial details hidden. It doesn't build suspense, just frustration.
    • Comments()

    • 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.
    • Comments()

    • Actions Speak Louder Than Words

    • Also known as show don't tell, the idea here is that you need to convey your message to a reader in more than just the words. Don't just say "Jon was mean" but instead, allow the reader to conclude that based upon Jon's actions in the story.
    • Comments()

    • Try Out National Novel Writing Month

    • The non-profit organization, National Novel Writing Month, known as NaNoWriMo can be found at http://www.nanowrimo.org/. The organization is for writers and works to get people writing. The objective is to get a novel written in a month, from November 1st to November 30th. Having these deadlines will help keep you focused and get you working hard to get your writing out there.
    • Comments()


View all creative writing tips