Advice To Writers

ADVICE TO WRITERS

I know the group has made a similar entry on this before, but I thought a little refresher for our Farfetch'd entrants would not be amiss. After all, I am a writer, and I would like to see our rank prosper! So, I thought I might give some tips to would-be writers out there.

Please do not be offended by this! It is not meant to insult, only to help, and hopefully inspire!

I'll start with a warning: writing is not easy. I have a feeling some members decided to write because drawing was too hard, and they thought the easy way out would be to simply write instead! Unfortunately, writing requires just as much effort as any drawn artist. The same way anyone can take a pencil to paper, anyone can put words on a screen. But the same way those lines on a paper can look terrible if you haven't put them together right, your words and sentences will be sloppy and unintelligible without effort!

As with drawing, writing takes practice, practice, practice. I started seriously writing years ago, but I am still learning. It will take months, even years, for your work to look professional. It will take a lot of effort. It can be frustrating sometimes! I know sometimes when I'm writing, I'll become frustrated just trying to make a paragraph look decent. But persevere! The more you write, the easier it will become!

Critiques are very important, but be aware that just because a dozen people have told you your work is fabulous, there is a possibility of BIAS. Friends will have a hard time telling you your work is not very good. Try to seek out friendly people who might offer honest critiquing. Not to be a shameless plug, but I will offer critiques to any writers out there!

As well, on the other side of the spectrum, DO NOT LISTEN TO FLAMING. If someone comments with nothing but nasty words, ignore what they say! They are just trying to bring you down! Believe in yourself, and your skills. Just because you are not the best, does not mean you are terrible!

When you write, try to be in a setting you are comfortable in. I mean a real life setting. If you're distracted by anything, or not feeling interested in your work, it'll likely look sloppy. I myself work well later at night, with some soft music in the background. This is not necessarily for everyone, but keep in mind that your own physical comfort is just as important as your skill. My own writing ability will drop if I have someone speaking to me while I write, or if I'm too tired, or for any number of reasons.

Grammar and spelling are very important. It does not matter how fabulous your story is if people have a hard time understanding what you write! It also generally turns people off from even trying, and you will not even get a comment. As basic as this may seem, make sure you know the difference between there, their and they're, its and it's, then and than, and to, two, and too. If you do not know how to use a phrase, or how to spell a word, look it up! There is no shame in not understanding something.

Make sure you are consistent in the perspective (is it in first person, or third person?) and the tense (past, present, or future?). Do not switch back and forth between any of these! It looks terrible and it is confusing. If you go from past to present tense, it will look sloppy, as the grammar is different for both tenses, and you will be inconsistent. Going from first to third person is very jarring as well. Keeping it consistent will help your work look much cleaner.

Use full sentences, but be careful of run on sentences! This is where it has gone on far too long, with no pauses or periods. In short, it's not pleasurable to read. Example: "He glared at his friend angrily unable to understand why he would do something like this to his partner." Wouldn't it look much nicer like this? "He glared at his friend angrily, unable to understand why he do something like this." Cut out redundant words, and never forget to use commas.

When I say to use full sentences, I mean don't use short, clipped phrases. Nothing is wrong with a sentence fragment here and there (if used appropriately) but things like "He was mad. He glared at him. How could he do this?" could sound much better as "He glared at him angrily. How could he do something like this to him?" Which brings me to my next point.

Description! You might think it clogs up your writing, but you're wrong! Description is vital to building atmosphere and drawing in your reader! Do it just right and they'll forget they're reading a story. The five senses are a good example of what to describe. Don't just say what your character is seeing. What does he hear, or smell, or feel? You don't have to use all five every single time, but remember that sight is a small part of your senses. You don't have to be a drawn artist to paint a picture, you know!

Do not use contractions too often. You may not think it is a big deal, but it can make things look rushed! A few here and there is not the end of the world, but be careful not to flood the page with them!

For my last point, repetition. Try not to use the same words in the same paragraph. For example: "He reached up with his hands to pull his scarf off his head. He leaned his head back, looking at his hands." It sounds a little weird, doesn't it? This is where we get to use synonyms, and expand your vocabulary! Find new ways to describe what is happening! In some cases, simply cut out redundant words! If you can't think of any replacement words, use a thesaurus! Thesaurus.com is where I head when I'm stuck.

In conclusion, it will be a long road, but if writing is your passion, it will be a worthwhile one. Some people feel that writers aren't given enough attention, but the attention you WILL get will come from people who put in the time to read it! No offense to drawn artists, but it takes much less time to look at a picture or comic page than it does to read a written entry. Make the effort, and get your work out there! You will find people who will love your work!