- You don’t have to tell readers everything. Not only should you avoid info-dumping your poor readers in the beginning of the story, you should avoid info-dumping your readers AT ALL TIMES. Remember – bring out world details through action and dialogue – NOT description and exposition! Sprinkle these tidbits throughout – icing is tasty, true, but good lord, no one wants a fist-sized glob of icing all at once!
- Even as the author, you don’t have to know EVERYTHING about your own story. You don’t have to know every single little detail about every single little thing in your book. It’s true. You can reference a mysterious incident and have no idea what that incident is, yourself. You may at some later date be clued in to what that incident is, but if not, it’s okay. I’ve heard multiple published authors confess to this very thing recently, and to be honest, it made me feel a whole hell of a lot less panicked about not knowing EVERYTHING about my own story. So relax. Just go with it. If you need to know as the author, your characters will fill you in later. Lol.
- If you have no direction, you will never reach your destination. Some of you will wail over this, as it touches on the whole OUTLINE bit, and it does vary by individual, BUT … I have generally found that if you at least plan out your beginning, first doorway (propels hero past the point of no return), second doorway (the event that makes the climax unavoidable), and ending, all your writing in-between will go far more smoothly, efficiently, and save you loads of time. Personally, if I do not at least have these things vaguely in mind, I sputter out at about the halfway point of the novel, wandering aimlessly and not sure where to go next, which just creates more frustration. More frustration leads to less writing. This is where I’m at on my YA fantasy – I desperately need to take the time to plan out the rest of it so I stop marinating in stalled frustration! Will get to that soon! This also applies to goal-setting with your word quota, project lists, or however else you prefer to organize your priorities!
- SQUIRREL! For all of the outlining, even if you are a hardcore outliner with bulleted lists of every chapter… be open to those EUREKA! moments. Those are some of the best plot twists yet! Just run with it!
- The SECOND right answer is always better than the first! What I mean by this is, when you search for ideas or plot developments, never ever ever EVER stick with the first thing that pops into your head, because it will also be over-used and cliché (that’s why it’s the first thing that pops into your head!). Instead, keep searching along that train of thought, keep twisting it around and turning it on it’s head until you come to the SECOND right answer, or third, or fourth, or fifth, etc. The further you go the crazier things will get, and the more original and fresh.
- Write about what you are passionate about. I have already dedicated an entire post to this, so I won’t belabor the point. But it IS very important. If you aren’t OBSESSED with your current WIP, ask yourself why, and see if maybe it’s because the subject you’re writing about isn’t something that gets you fired up.
- Haters gonna hate. I have not personally gotten to experience this one yet, but I’m sure I will at some point. Something I’ve been hearing a lot lately from my various cons and conferences from career published authors (who are very successful, obviously, and widely loved) is – DON’T READ REVIEWS FOR YOUR OWN WORKS. The good ones make us feel warm and fuzzy, but the hateful and downright mean ones will crush your soul for months. They all say it’s just not worth it, just don’t go there at all. Stay away. Their words, not mine. But I can definitely see the value in that advice!
- Use ACTION, not description, to describe a scene. If this sounds funny, look for the same-named article on my Resources page. This was a good revelation for me, as it explains the concept very clearly, and is a new way of looking at that annoyingly vague notion to “show, don’t tell”. I have been consciously aware of this as I progress on my current contest WIP, and I can say with certainty it is greatly improving my writing!
- Be dialogue-happy. So much can be done with dialogue. Scene description, world-building, character development, plot progression, let your characters talk and talk and talk! You can always edit it down later if they really go overboard with the chatty-Kathy. But seriously, this is a great tip to keep in mind, especially for arguments! What better way to world-build cultural differences or political lines than having two characters of different opinions launch into an argument!
- It’s okay to not feel like writing all the time. This does not mean you aren’t a good writer, or even a great one. Allow yourself to take a break every now and then. But also, most of the time, just write anyway. (Then reward yourself!)
- If you write, you are a writer. Period. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You don’t need anyone’s approval or validation or verification, you don’t need fans or publications. Do you write words on paper or screen? Then you’re a writer, of whatever genre you write in. Think of yourself as a writer, and write. Then make friends with nice, supportive other people who write, because they are usually the only ones who can really understand your obsession. 😛
Happy Writing to All!
Great advice, albeit difficult to remember when you’re actually writing. 😉 Thank you for sharing!
You are welcome! 🙂 I have begun taping index cards to various places on my desk at about eye level with reminders about some of these things… I have one that says “What if?” and “Layer layer layer!” and “What’s the worst thing that could happen? What do they least expect?” This helps me to remember these tips while actually writing. But then again, I have always been a slower writer… my inner-editor brain never really turns off, which is both a curse and a blessing. 😛 So I can usually pick out no-no’s while I’m actually writing them and change them on the spot. I’ve found the more I write and the more I learn, the more I end up adjusting my initial writing as I go. Eventually, the change becomes habit and then I don’t have to think about it anymore. 🙂 For example, I slowly cut out using “that” … then I focused on cutting out “was/were” and “-ing” verbs… that is almost habit now. The newest thing I try to catch is info-dumping. I was really horrible at that. So I think very carefully, especially in beginning a story, about how I will start it, and before launching into a revealing dialogue even, I ask myself if the reader REALLY has to know that stuff at that moment? If not, I hint instead of reveal and keep on going. Funny enough, working on some short stories really really helped with this, too, becuase I couldn’t waste my word count on blathering about the worldbuilding. 😉 Even still, I have to work on this constantly… when I heard authors confirm again that only 10% of your novel backstory should actually make it into your novel, I wanted to protest, lol. But, what can you do? 😛 Heheh.
I love 4 and 5 – made me chuckle – and 8 is so good. Even in just basic grammar, I always have to edit out the passive voice that spills out of fingers first.
Thanks Larissa! I’m glad you liked the list! 😉 I admit the SQUIRREL description is not mine, lol… I first heard one of the authors at the RT Booklover’s Convention use the term and thought it was far too perfect to resist! And #8… if you have a minute you should read the article on my Resources page, it’s rather short, but it explains the idea soooooo very well, it’s unbelievable. That was really an actual REVELATION to me, lol. I just thought, “Wow. NOW this make sense!!” Ha. It’s amazing how much better keeping that in mind can make a scene, too! It is far too easy to write in passive voice, you’re right! Thinking in terms of action for description has really helped me out a lot!
A splendid list and very true. Number 5 is my favourite in there – I really don’t do this enough, but most certainly will now. I’m also rather prone to committing the sin at number 1 on your list – “so, dear readers, this is what’s happening and this is why, because if I don’t tell you, you may not realise and then you won’t get how clever I’m trying to be, so let me just re-iterate that point…” Man, does that lead to some tedious prose. I shall also be sticking notes around my writing space, cos I love that tip. Or maybe I’ll tattoo them in reverse on my forehead, so I can see them every morning 😀
I’m so very glad you found the list helpful! Oh yes, I was also bad at trying to orient the readers right off the bat! BUT DON’T DO THAT! In the current WIP I seem to have the opposite problem, weirdly enough… but you know, I’m finding it easier to ADD the details in where they need to be (and ONLY where they need to be, based on reader feedback), then it was trying to figure out what to take out and when, ya know? So I say, write like the reader already knows your characters and your setting, and they’re just picking up the book to see what new adventure these people go on. Keep that mind-set and it should be easier to cut out the info-dumping. 😉
Notes around the writing space are VERY good reminders – although you do have to change them out every now and then because eventually you get used to seeing them and then they fail to serve their purpose of reminding you, lol. So… maybe don’t tattoo them on your forehead, haha.
My core foundational mantra as I write is: “Am I bored? Yes? Then the readers will be bored. So what should happen here that would keep ME interested? Am I bored now? No? Good, then the readers won’t be bored.”
(And confession, I just recently started #5 myself… once you get in that habit, though, it’s amazing what your brain comes up with!)