tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post2958956899476232392..comments2023-12-07T08:42:44.505+00:00Comments on Wendy's Writing Now: Have any Writing Tips?Wendy's Writinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-75636024528174664242015-03-26T18:20:22.882+00:002015-03-26T18:20:22.882+00:00I know what you mean about NaNoWriMo, Jan. We all ...I know what you mean about NaNoWriMo, Jan. We all churn out huge amounts in November and firmly believe we'll carry on like that forever, but of course we don't. <br /><br />My piece of advice is: write every day. If you don't write today, it'll be that little bit harder to get started tomorrow. And the longer you leave it, the harder it will be.Susanna Bavinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05716163626810832427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-77370498580024697092015-03-26T14:42:26.563+00:002015-03-26T14:42:26.563+00:00And I was just thinking, what's the first piec...And I was just thinking, what's the first piece of advice which springs to mind (before I read your comment above Wendy)? 'Just Write!'-it's the only way to finish a novel, or piece of short fiction. I'm not published yet, so don't feel in a position to give tips on writing- but I know that when I write every day for a significant amount of time (ideally in a minimum 3 hour block, it's rare, but effective ;-)), logging my word count in a spreadsheet, I'm one step closer to being published.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-3427923910295922872015-03-24T19:40:56.376+00:002015-03-24T19:40:56.376+00:00I sometimes have to make myself stop fiddling and ...I sometimes have to make myself stop fiddling and editing and 'just write'.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-33912727315356547922015-03-24T19:39:34.211+00:002015-03-24T19:39:34.211+00:00Ah yes!Ah yes!Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-47800579735783314672015-03-24T19:39:15.535+00:002015-03-24T19:39:15.535+00:00I've sometimes had to wait a week for that to ...I've sometimes had to wait a week for that to happen!Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-89674769640602359272015-03-24T19:38:31.173+00:002015-03-24T19:38:31.173+00:00I do the same, Emma - it can get so confusing othe...I do the same, Emma - it can get so confusing otherwise.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-45175653305007155862015-03-24T19:37:52.888+00:002015-03-24T19:37:52.888+00:00Great advice - thanks Kate.Great advice - thanks Kate.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-5500640728710838962015-03-24T15:33:18.962+00:002015-03-24T15:33:18.962+00:00Great post, Wendy. The advice about getting the st...Great post, Wendy. The advice about getting the story/novel written seems to be the best advice for me. I'm too tempted to tweak and edit as I go along and it would be better to just write. This was what I did during NaNaWriMo and I got so much written. I now have plenty to edit and reflect upon. Sad to say, I'm back to my old ways again though - slow to almost stop. :-(Jan Baynhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06356572488839476046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-63585008465364211472015-03-24T13:50:15.259+00:002015-03-24T13:50:15.259+00:00"Remember you love writing. It wouldn't b..."Remember you love writing. It wouldn't be worth it if you didn't.If the love fades, do what you need to and get it back."--AL KennedyKendrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11418142328713641996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-44899771570462520142015-03-24T10:32:08.623+00:002015-03-24T10:32:08.623+00:00If you're stuck on something try leaving it ov...If you're stuck on something try leaving it overnight. Sometimes the answer will arrive in your dreams or even a whole different story might arrive inspired by the original..Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04739646915731187015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-85695870067807330402015-03-24T10:14:09.983+00:002015-03-24T10:14:09.983+00:00Aimed at us all. I have lost count of the people I...Aimed at us all. I have lost count of the people I've met who write beautifully but never finish things, never edit and never send things out. I include myself of course! Finishing something this morning :)Adminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03540915879300804951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-79497887812455227812015-03-24T10:02:30.771+00:002015-03-24T10:02:30.771+00:00Keep accurate records, so you always know what you...Keep accurate records, so you always know what you've sent where, and when. I use a spreadsheet which details things like word count and income, and dates paid and published. It's very handy for tax returns and updating ALCS :). Emma Canninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14312142423056508464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-3507936202222974462015-03-23T18:33:01.710+00:002015-03-23T18:33:01.710+00:00Magazine fiction writing - read the magazine regul...Magazine fiction writing - read the magazine regularly, all of it, ads, letters, everything - to get a clear idea of who the reader is. If you can empathise with them (you don't have to be them), then you can write for them. If you don't really truly like them, it will come across. (And this doesn't count as a second comment, because someone already said it but yes, read it out loud first, especially dialogue. Preferably when the house is empty ...!)<br />Kate HardstaffAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-60211671690672246042015-03-23T17:08:31.535+00:002015-03-23T17:08:31.535+00:00Ah, yes, Kevin - wise words and the 'avoid inf...Ah, yes, Kevin - wise words and the 'avoid information dump' seems to be quite a popular one and definitely something I try to avoid. I'm hoping that readers will see all of these for what they are... tips, not rules.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-23698793842090881542015-03-23T17:00:58.556+00:002015-03-23T17:00:58.556+00:00All Categories
There's a plethora of availabl...<b>All Categories</b><br /><br />There's a plethora of available advice for writers, including many "rules" (sometimes pronounced "guidelines"). I've read a great deal of it over the years and could probably come up with many tips but I doubt they'd be original. There are plenty of good ones already here.<br /><br />One thing I absolutely will say is: <i>question all advice!</i><br /><br />Good writing advice, particularly that of the "rules" type, has to:<br /><br /> * Make sense.<br /> * Have a reason and/or justification.<br /> * Give examples where possible.<br /><br />For example, I've heard things like "never start a chapter with dialogue". What rubbish. That particular so-called advice had no reasoning behind it, so I ignored it. Another one I cam across was "never write in first person viewpoint". That might be a valid piece of advice for, say, a particular magazine, but by itself it's useless and almost certainly wrong. One person's likes and dislikes do not necessarily constitute good advice.<br /><br />On the other hand, I've heard: "Don't dump information on the reader because they'll become bored. They're not interested in how well the writer has done their research, they just want enough realism and to get on with the story." That piece of advice was sensible and I try to adhere to it.<br /><br />HtH -- Kevin.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-54501641832775336552015-03-23T15:51:50.387+00:002015-03-23T15:51:50.387+00:00I find walking the dog usually helps.I find walking the dog usually helps.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-32384122876376746262015-03-23T15:48:18.758+00:002015-03-23T15:48:18.758+00:00Sometimes you need to let your sub-conscious work ...Sometimes you need to let your sub-conscious work on character or plot issues, rather than struggling with them. I've always found it works. Carolbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05578076528292643928noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-15269190637886206842015-03-23T15:41:38.177+00:002015-03-23T15:41:38.177+00:00As you are a special friend I'll allow you two...As you are a special friend I'll allow you two, Tracy (and they are very good!)Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-5766132131987519472015-03-23T15:40:33.781+00:002015-03-23T15:40:33.781+00:00... and then once more!... and then once more!Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-91781901038338960842015-03-23T15:19:20.664+00:002015-03-23T15:19:20.664+00:00Any type of writing - if you wanted to get publish...Any type of writing - if you wanted to get published then: apply bottom to chair (unless you write standing up) and JFDI (you don't need me to translate).<br />A writing friend recently told me to JFDI after I was griping about writing a missing chapter in my novel. Think I may get that printed on a mug or T-shirt.<br />And another tip (if I can have 2): you can't edit/polish/submit what you haven't written ...TracyFellshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10224475173136774530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-48062193211230455742015-03-23T15:14:52.628+00:002015-03-23T15:14:52.628+00:00Competitions: read the rules, then read them again...Competitions: read the rules, then read them again. Then again.Julia Thorleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00485301135194085398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-81593910816927209202015-03-23T14:07:22.563+00:002015-03-23T14:07:22.563+00:00'Worry about structure and editing later' ...'Worry about structure and editing later' - a lesson I clearly need to learn!Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-44782338008338457002015-03-23T14:05:19.958+00:002015-03-23T14:05:19.958+00:00Absolutely! This way you greatly increase the chan...Absolutely! This way you greatly increase the chances of finding a home for the story.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-74533621238737976442015-03-23T14:04:15.177+00:002015-03-23T14:04:15.177+00:00I do exactly the same thing, Ben - a sure way to g...I do exactly the same thing, Ben - a sure way to get nothing done.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787438044751492963.post-52656650499376683432015-03-23T14:03:26.959+00:002015-03-23T14:03:26.959+00:00I like the idea of a 15 minute chance to work thro...I like the idea of a 15 minute chance to work through a difficulty - I'm going to implement that one.Wendy's Writinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06960941625432714363noreply@blogger.com