WRITING TIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chatterbox: Blab About Books
WRITING TIPS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I need writing tips really really really bad.
For one I feel like my writing is way too choppy, it'll start and rickshaw from one thing to another like a crazy pinball machine. There are also times when I'll work hours one one post and end up deleting it before I finish because its so awful. :(
For books I end giving up after a few paragraphs because the wording is terrible and unlikely that anyone would enjoy reading it.
My mom also really wants me to get into writing but when I start I just feel that deep cavernous feeling that I'm being judged and I'm awful and terrible and all the nice things that people say are just words that they could never ever mean about me.
I'm really sorry if this sounds depressing and ruined someone's day but I need help. Bad.
(October 17, 2016 - 6:15 pm)
Hey. First step: Calm down. And just write for the fun of it. Start there.
Also, read these books: Writing Magic and Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink. Both are by Gail Carson Levine and feature a wide variety of tips to help you write. I highly recommend them to anyone, whether a beginner or a published author.
Hope this helps, and good luck!!
(October 17, 2016 - 6:50 pm)
Thnx Cho!!!!! And TOP!
(October 18, 2016 - 8:01 am)
No problem!
(October 18, 2016 - 12:35 pm)
first step is to breathe
second step is find you favorite book
third read your favorite chapter of that said book
fourth close your eyes for about ten minutes and imagine you a character's (from said book) friend/family member, go on adventures with that character.
Fifth step there isn't one, that imagining you just did, was writing a book minus the writing.
as for the being judged part, I feel the exact same way, why don't you try to get into an RP on inkwell you can write under a pen name without worrying about people liking your work.
writing is an art, you can't force it so here's a simple way of getting into a new story
list 2-5 fave colors:
List 2-7 female charrictar names: (If you have trouble thinking of them look up on google baby girl names alphabecticly)
List 2-7 male charictars names : (use same stragie uas before)
list acouple fave books:
find a plot base the setting and charrictar traits on those of your fave book, use the names you came up with before, give them fave colors animals and other random things.
and last but not least, go on google look up dialgu prompt and go to images
i'll give you an example feel free to use my short storie and extend it
this is my own prompt I made up feel free to use it.
I looked him in the eye, my heart racing. we stayed like that for seconds that felt like hours, standing in the doorway, people walking around us mumbling rude words.
"What?" I try to sound like the normal me, sarcastic and snarky, but my tone falls flat. he leans towered me and my heart flutters, his lips are next to my ear and i feel his warm breath.
"get down," we whispers. he hand wirls to my shoulder and pushes me down, as a knife flies over my head.
(October 18, 2016 - 7:20 pm)
Another good book to help with writing is Spilling Ink. It's REALLY helped me a LOT.
(October 19, 2016 - 12:46 am)
@Kate-the-great. I love Spilling Ink! I read it twice from the library, then got it for my birthday because I loved it so much.
(October 21, 2016 - 2:22 pm)
oh my goodness I LOVE THAT BOOK! I read it in fifth grade, and I still use many of the techniques it talks about. I'm sad to say I borrowed it, and I don't have my own copy.
(November 3, 2016 - 3:25 pm)
NEVER DELETE YOUR WRITING! First drafts don't have to be great, they don't even have to be good- just put as many words on the paper as you possibly can and come back to edit it later. Trust me- I struggle with the same thing, but try not to read what you've just written. Just keep writing.
That reminds me of the song in Nemo. Just keep writing, just keep writing...
Also, you're going to find your old writing in like, 6 months or something and then you can see how much you've improved! I enjoy reading my old writing- it might help you also to see how much you've improved, and how much better you'll be 6 months from now. Remember that you are only 13, your writing isn't probably going to be as good as 30-year-old authors who have had years of practice. Your writing may seem choppy and awful to you, but to others it might seem awesome! No one is judging you- that's the whole point of Inkwell, to share writing and (hopefully) get better at it. So, never feel bad about your writing, don't delete it, and keep writing!
(October 19, 2016 - 7:07 am)
1. Whenever you think up a random idea that you want to keep going with, that's your plot. You can also use an interesting dream.
2. Find a name.
3. Start writing. You don't need a plot: just go with what seems right.
4. Find a friend to proofread and give you ideas/advice. I would have never continued with the story I'm writing without my friend's help.
5. If you get writer's block, change something or go to that friend.
I hope this helps!
-Moonlight
(October 23, 2016 - 2:04 pm)
Thnx so much guys! This really helped!!!!
(October 25, 2016 - 8:11 am)
You need to work on turning a confusing plot into something with a lot of twists. Write more.
(October 25, 2016 - 9:36 am)
You realize you can't just do that out of the blue, right?
(October 27, 2016 - 1:21 pm)
I am an author too.
I have been in you're setuation before, but I have found ways around it. I settled on one story, and then whenever I had an idea, I jotted it down in a journal. This journal contains timelines, drawings, pieces of the story, and multiple backstories and even family trees. Then, I piece together the story with the things I wrote in the journal.
Good luck!
(November 2, 2016 - 6:03 pm)
I love to write, and I understand your situation completly! Try thinking of a plot for your story before writing it, and add some interesting twists. I always also read throuh my work and edit it to make t sound vetter. Don't delete it, maybe you can fix it or make it into something totally different!
Good luck, I hope this helps!
(November 7, 2016 - 7:31 pm)
OK so I now how you feel but what has realy helped me is keeping a story note book were you write down like what ever pops up in your head this way you get down the base of your story and it does not matter how badley you word it, and then once the base of your story is done you can strart the real story,
Lia M.
(January 12, 2017 - 11:30 am)