General Writing Tips

Since I didn't have a set article idea for this week, I thought I'd just compile some writing tips that may be helpful for you!

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Tip #1: Be careful not to base your books off of real things unintentionally. For example, if your friend reads your book and says, "Hey, this sounds like another book I've read!" do not go read that other book. You will begin incorporating the plot points into your own work, rendering yours entirely unoriginal.

Tip #2: Don't do everything that everyone else wants you to do. This might seem odd to say, since I give writing advice, but don't try to do everything that everyone says all the time. Do what feels right for you, not what other people say feels right for them.

Tip #3: Exclamation points are not always your enemy. Most professional writers will tell people aspiring to follow in their footsteps to never use exclamation points. This never fails to make me angry. After all, what if you're writing a children's book that needs simplistic sentences and emotions? What if you're writing a beginner novel and exclamation points can help create the mood? Not to mention that exclamation points are almost always needed at some point in dialogue. Exclamation points are your friends - use them!

Tip #4: Don't rely too heavily on dialogue. While dialogue can be perfect for exposition, it shouldn't be used too much. It can make or break the immersiveness of a book when characters talk unrealistically while describing or explaining something.

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Do you have any tips for writers? Let me know! Send them to me with the form to the right of the page! If you have any articles to request or submit, do so through the same form, and if you have quick questions, post them in the forum.

In May will be my one-year blog anniversary! I can't promise a special article - maybe just my highlights or something - but I'll try to put something together :)