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When writing, remember to delete unneeded words. Writing Tip for Today: Inserting unnecessary words in your writing puts too much distance between your meaning and the readers. Here are some tips: To and Fro Prepositional phrases are like lemmings—they pop up a lot but can run your writing over a cliff. Most unnecessary prepositional phrases […]
Writers often hear about successful authors who somehow make every word count. What does this mean for us? Writing Tip for Today: Here are some observations about how to make every word you write count: Paint Instant Pictures When you write, you must create mental imagery for readers. As I’ve said many times, you are […]
Writing descriptions of characters, settings or other items requires details. But which details matter? Writing Tip for Today: Here are some tips for writing effective details: Paint a Picture Readers need mental images in order to imagine your story. You supply details to help them conjure the images you want them to have. What many […]
When a new character comes on stage, it’s important to describe that person right away. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s discuss ways to introduce a character. Enter, Stage Right Have you ever read a story where a new character comes on stage without any description? Whether we’re aware or not, we automatically want to assign […]
Your fourth grade teacher probably urged you to include details in your writing. “Don’t write about a car,” she may have said, “but a red car, a ’67 Mustang. Be specific.” When do details enhance and when do they hinder? Writing Tip for Today: Writing details requires good judgment. Here are some suggestions for including […]
We’ve discussed how writers develop voice and platform. But what about the unique rhythm or pace which writers must also develop? Writing Tip for Today: What are some elements of effective story pacing? What’s Pace, Anyway? Your story’s pace refers to several ways that readers experience the story. On a global level, pace can mean […]
Since it’s August, I thought it might be good to trot out some easily avoided fiction mistakes I see in student work. Micro-management is what I call the tendency to over-regulate how readers experience a scene or description. Writing Tip for Today: Here are three simple fixes for eliminating micro-management from your writing: My Right […]
Three Ways to BOOST Your Fiction Last post we talked about some of the ways that too much realism in fiction can drag down your reader’s experience. But writing realistically can also be a big plus—with the right approach. Writing Tip for Today: Here are some ideas for using realism to enhance fiction and draw […]
Most writing teachers talk about show, don’t tell in terms of avoiding explanations and increasing concrete sensory details. These techniques are vital. But to master show, don’t tell, here are some lesser-known writing tips. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s take a look at some other ways to attain “show, don’t tell”in your fiction. Manage Readers […]
Description in writing has to be one of the hardest parts to get just right. Give readers too little description, and they are unable to experience the story world. Write too much description, and readers get lost in all the details. Writing Tip for Today: Let’s take a look at ways a writer can balance […]