REVENGE
16 February 2008, 12:01 AM
I've been reading the works of many talented people here at Miniclip lately - I thought it might be helpful if I made a guide of ways to improve or start out writing for beginners. If any staff members find this thread unnecessary or unhelpful, please feel free to remove it.
Writing Fictional Stories
In this section there are two types of writing that stick out the most in my mind - the art of writing short stories and the art of writing full-length stories. All stories posted in this forum at this point are the former, considering that it's rather hard to write and post extremely long stories in this format. Because of this, I'll just make a list for short stories.
Tips on writing short stories:
Be sure to describe scenery and characters in depth near the beginning or in the first few parts of a story. Explaining the surroundings and the appearance of the characters involved will help the reader better visualize the story.
Be suspenseful. Don't let on to what may happen in chapters to come - this makes it more enjoyable for those reading and also keeps the reader hooked.
As always, grammar/spelling skills. If you have difficulty in these areas (God knows I'm a terrible speller) you may want to write your story in Microsoft Word (or a program like it) so that it can check for errors before you post it in The Writer's Block.
Always be original. Never steal ideas from movies you've seen or books you've read only because you enjoyed them - no one wants to hear the same story twice.
Keep it tidy. Seperate your story into paragraphs so that it's easier to read - if it all runs together and looks messy, no one will want to take the time to read it.
While writing, try listening to music. It keeps your brain flowing and prevents writer's block from occuring (at least, to me). Keep in mind, however, that for some people it may only serve as a disruption - this tip is not for everyone.
Stretch your imagination to it's limits. Don't hang yourself up because you think an idea is stupid or unheard of - sometimes, those are the ideas that are the best. For example: Stephen King thought that his first book, Carrie, was extremely stupid and threw it away after writing only the first few pages. Don't limit yourself like that.
Don't let frustration get the best of you. The example from the last tip also serves this one quite nicely. If you get negative feedback on your story, don't just throw in the towel - do what you can to improve it or correct your mistakes and try again.
When writing, you want the reader's heart. In every piece you write, you'll want those who read it to feel something - whether it be happiness, sadness, or laughter - that will make the story memorable. You want them to FEEL what you write.
Don't get discouraged when reading published authors. I admit, that I do it from time to time - but that's no way to go about it. They had to start somewhere, didn't they?
Think about the story after writing it. Is there a moral or a purpose to it? (This is not always necessary to make a great piece of writing, keep in mind.)
Enjoy what you write. Odds are that if you get enjoyment from writing it, we'll all get enjoyment from reading it as well.
Writing Poetry
Now, I'm not very good in this field, but I'll do my best all the same. Perhaps Poetic can give me a few tips to add later. ;)
Rhyming is nice, but that does NOT make it a good poem. Free verse is also very popular - don't fool yourself into thinking that poetry is all about rhyme.
Listen to the rhythm of the poem - do the syllables work together to make a sort of beat as you read it in your mind? (Note: This makes a poem more interesting to read, but it not under any circumstances necessary to make a good piece.)
Write something with meaning behind it. Reading poetry that means absolutely NOTHING is extremely boring.
Try not to confuse the reader too terribly much. Metaphors are wonderful devices to disguise your meaning if you wish to - but don't make a jumble of words only because they rhyme or sound good together otherwise. Poems such as those can be extremely confusing.
Feel what you write. Poetry is a very emotional sense of writing and in order to get your point or message across, you want the reader to feel what you're trying to say, as well as being able to feel it yourself when finished.
If you think you freaking own at poetry, you won't get anywhere. On the flip side, if you think you totally suck, you won't get anywhere either. Maintain a healthy balance in between God and scum.
Keep a pen/pencil and paper somewhere handy. You'll find that some of your best ideas come right before you fall asleep. If they're good enough, you can probably find the energy to get up, move your hand a couple of inches, and write them down.
Don't be afraid to abandon half-done poems.
Don't be afraid to finish year-old poems you uncovered while cleaning out your closet.
Read your poems out loud. It helps your rhyme and meter a lot.
Don't be afraid to show people your poetry. You'll find that random people (even those who don't write) can be unbelievably helpful.
* In NO way, shape, or form am I saying that I don't make mistakes or am a better writer than anyone else on here. Trust me, I make mistakes everyday - I get frustrated and have my bad days like everyone else does. I only made this guide in an effort to try and help those who want to learn to write, but aren't sure where to start.
Also, if you have any tips to add, please post them below. :]
I hope this helps those of you interested in posting your first work of art in this forum or improved what you've already posted - I can't wait to read the pieces that you all come up with. :)
Write on,
Lindsey :]
Writing Fictional Stories
In this section there are two types of writing that stick out the most in my mind - the art of writing short stories and the art of writing full-length stories. All stories posted in this forum at this point are the former, considering that it's rather hard to write and post extremely long stories in this format. Because of this, I'll just make a list for short stories.
Tips on writing short stories:
Be sure to describe scenery and characters in depth near the beginning or in the first few parts of a story. Explaining the surroundings and the appearance of the characters involved will help the reader better visualize the story.
Be suspenseful. Don't let on to what may happen in chapters to come - this makes it more enjoyable for those reading and also keeps the reader hooked.
As always, grammar/spelling skills. If you have difficulty in these areas (God knows I'm a terrible speller) you may want to write your story in Microsoft Word (or a program like it) so that it can check for errors before you post it in The Writer's Block.
Always be original. Never steal ideas from movies you've seen or books you've read only because you enjoyed them - no one wants to hear the same story twice.
Keep it tidy. Seperate your story into paragraphs so that it's easier to read - if it all runs together and looks messy, no one will want to take the time to read it.
While writing, try listening to music. It keeps your brain flowing and prevents writer's block from occuring (at least, to me). Keep in mind, however, that for some people it may only serve as a disruption - this tip is not for everyone.
Stretch your imagination to it's limits. Don't hang yourself up because you think an idea is stupid or unheard of - sometimes, those are the ideas that are the best. For example: Stephen King thought that his first book, Carrie, was extremely stupid and threw it away after writing only the first few pages. Don't limit yourself like that.
Don't let frustration get the best of you. The example from the last tip also serves this one quite nicely. If you get negative feedback on your story, don't just throw in the towel - do what you can to improve it or correct your mistakes and try again.
When writing, you want the reader's heart. In every piece you write, you'll want those who read it to feel something - whether it be happiness, sadness, or laughter - that will make the story memorable. You want them to FEEL what you write.
Don't get discouraged when reading published authors. I admit, that I do it from time to time - but that's no way to go about it. They had to start somewhere, didn't they?
Think about the story after writing it. Is there a moral or a purpose to it? (This is not always necessary to make a great piece of writing, keep in mind.)
Enjoy what you write. Odds are that if you get enjoyment from writing it, we'll all get enjoyment from reading it as well.
Writing Poetry
Now, I'm not very good in this field, but I'll do my best all the same. Perhaps Poetic can give me a few tips to add later. ;)
Rhyming is nice, but that does NOT make it a good poem. Free verse is also very popular - don't fool yourself into thinking that poetry is all about rhyme.
Listen to the rhythm of the poem - do the syllables work together to make a sort of beat as you read it in your mind? (Note: This makes a poem more interesting to read, but it not under any circumstances necessary to make a good piece.)
Write something with meaning behind it. Reading poetry that means absolutely NOTHING is extremely boring.
Try not to confuse the reader too terribly much. Metaphors are wonderful devices to disguise your meaning if you wish to - but don't make a jumble of words only because they rhyme or sound good together otherwise. Poems such as those can be extremely confusing.
Feel what you write. Poetry is a very emotional sense of writing and in order to get your point or message across, you want the reader to feel what you're trying to say, as well as being able to feel it yourself when finished.
If you think you freaking own at poetry, you won't get anywhere. On the flip side, if you think you totally suck, you won't get anywhere either. Maintain a healthy balance in between God and scum.
Keep a pen/pencil and paper somewhere handy. You'll find that some of your best ideas come right before you fall asleep. If they're good enough, you can probably find the energy to get up, move your hand a couple of inches, and write them down.
Don't be afraid to abandon half-done poems.
Don't be afraid to finish year-old poems you uncovered while cleaning out your closet.
Read your poems out loud. It helps your rhyme and meter a lot.
Don't be afraid to show people your poetry. You'll find that random people (even those who don't write) can be unbelievably helpful.
* In NO way, shape, or form am I saying that I don't make mistakes or am a better writer than anyone else on here. Trust me, I make mistakes everyday - I get frustrated and have my bad days like everyone else does. I only made this guide in an effort to try and help those who want to learn to write, but aren't sure where to start.
Also, if you have any tips to add, please post them below. :]
I hope this helps those of you interested in posting your first work of art in this forum or improved what you've already posted - I can't wait to read the pieces that you all come up with. :)
Write on,
Lindsey :]