Creative Writing Tips

    • Poetry - Cut the Articles

    • In poetry, the articles (the, a) often just slow the piece down and distract from the real visuals. Try removing the articles from your poetry whenever possible.
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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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    • Revising - Writing Groups

    • One of the best ways to keep you writing and finishing work is when you have a deadline. If you don't ACTUALLY have a deadline, having a regularly meeting writing group is a great way to impose a deadline on your work. It also allows people to provide input and give you further insight on your writing. As such, by joining a writing group, you're able to get people to edit your work, come up with new ideas, and keep yourself on task.
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    • Don't Be Afraid to Stink

    • Sometimes your writing isn't going to be the best you want it to be. Your first drafts will almost always come out poorer than you'd like them to be. It's okay! It's part of the process. Look at what you like in the poor material and run with it.
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    • Write What You Know

    • It's often easiest to just be you. Drawing on your experiences and relying on the things you are most familiar with make it a lot easier to write a story. You can take liberties with it but it's easiest to make something up when you have a strong familiarity with it or have similar memories to build off.
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