Hey all! Thought I'd share some writing tips to help make your pieces stronger. These tend to apply more to narratives, but there's some good information in here for other writing too.
Please note that original sources may be impossible to find, so for sourced tips, I reference who I heard it from.
1: Remember TIP TOP when you think you should start a new paragraph- make a new one if you changed
Time
Place
Topic
Person
(Tumblr user sp00kyjames)
2: Don't use epithets unless the audience/character doesn't know the person's name.
(Suggested by Tumblr user martainducreff)
3: It's hard to overuse words like he/she, the, and I. We read them so often they disappear, and don't pull readers out of the story.
4: Unless you are trying to make a point, don't start all your sentences the same way. Don't start all your paragraphs the same way. Don't start all your pieces the same way. It gets boring fast.
5: Double check your use of homophones. Nothing makes a piece seem immature or pulls a reader out of a story quite like mixing up "there" and "their".
Saturday, March 19, 2016
I'm leaving!
Sorry for the off topic post, but I want to explain why there aren't going to be any posts for the rest of the month, and what's going on.
I'm going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, which means that for the next two weeks, I'm going to be incommunicado. I had a post ready for you guys, but it accidentally got deleted (really frustrating, by the way), so it's going to have to wait until April.
In the meantime, you can rest easy knowing that I have some really great things planned for next month, so be sure to check back soon!
I'm going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, which means that for the next two weeks, I'm going to be incommunicado. I had a post ready for you guys, but it accidentally got deleted (really frustrating, by the way), so it's going to have to wait until April.
In the meantime, you can rest easy knowing that I have some really great things planned for next month, so be sure to check back soon!
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Aaaaaand time once again for the writing reminder! Wherever you are when you see this, just take a moment to add a paragraph to whatever you're working on, however that looks for you. If you've lost the inspiration and you can't add a paragraph, edit your previous paragraphs or get your piece typed out. Just do something writing involved. I believe in you!
PS: this is an "on your honor" type of thing. But I trust y'all. You wouldn't lie to me... Right? Right! Good talk.
-Abby
Okay, so today I'm writing something that I've been meaning to get off my chest for a while now.
If you enjoy writing, but other people, be they family, friends, teachers, or whoever else, tell you that you're bad at writing, ignore them and write anyway. If you don't like your pieces, and you don't want to share them, write anyway. If everything around you is crashing down, and you don't have time to write, but it's the only thing that can make you feel better, write anyway.
My personal philosophy is that, to a reasonable extent, you should do what makes you happy. Eat good food, have good friends, and if writing makes you happy, write.
Sometimes, family can be the worst at letting you create joy for yourself, in this case by discouraging you from pursuing your interests. If anyone tries to tell you that you can't or shouldn't enjoy something you aren't good at, remind them that you can enjoy playing a game without winning.
Honestly, this hasn't been a problem for me, personally. I've always had loads of support in my hobbies, for better or for worse. But it's been going around that there are people who have stopped doing the things they love because of acquaintances constantly putting them down.
Don't let anyone ever tell you to do something based on what they think you're good at. Don't ever take a hobby you hate because that's what you're "good at." I hate to be so cliché, but chase your dreams. Only you can decide whether you're going to live your life the way you want to live it or the way someone else thinks you should live it.
Edit: Guess what! This was supposed to publish in January. I don't know what happened to it- seems it published a draft instead. So now, you'll get three posts in February.
If you enjoy writing, but other people, be they family, friends, teachers, or whoever else, tell you that you're bad at writing, ignore them and write anyway. If you don't like your pieces, and you don't want to share them, write anyway. If everything around you is crashing down, and you don't have time to write, but it's the only thing that can make you feel better, write anyway.
My personal philosophy is that, to a reasonable extent, you should do what makes you happy. Eat good food, have good friends, and if writing makes you happy, write.
Sometimes, family can be the worst at letting you create joy for yourself, in this case by discouraging you from pursuing your interests. If anyone tries to tell you that you can't or shouldn't enjoy something you aren't good at, remind them that you can enjoy playing a game without winning.
Honestly, this hasn't been a problem for me, personally. I've always had loads of support in my hobbies, for better or for worse. But it's been going around that there are people who have stopped doing the things they love because of acquaintances constantly putting them down.
Don't let anyone ever tell you to do something based on what they think you're good at. Don't ever take a hobby you hate because that's what you're "good at." I hate to be so cliché, but chase your dreams. Only you can decide whether you're going to live your life the way you want to live it or the way someone else thinks you should live it.
Edit: Guess what! This was supposed to publish in January. I don't know what happened to it- seems it published a draft instead. So now, you'll get three posts in February.
Another update
Alright guys, remember when I said I would get more actual stories on here? About that... I also promised I wouldn't throw out my worst work just to meet a quota. So I'm going to hold back again this month. I know, I know, I'm awful. But I really do want you to enjoy reading this blog, so I don't want to start pumping out trash.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Updates
Hey guys! I haven't been able to write much lately, so that's why there's been a lack of posts for a while. But I promise to get some more fiction up here in February. Y'all can hold me accountable now, okay?
This is also your reminder for January:
Anyone who is currently writing a story, letter, blog, column, or whatever, go right now and add a paragraph. If you put it off, it won't happen. So stop what you're doing and write, just a little bit, for today. Make it your goal to finish that story, letter, etc. If you can, find time every day or every week to add just a little bit more. Let's get these things written!
This is something else you can hold me accountable for, then. I hope to do little "writing reminders" every month so everyone has a specific reason to write. Remember, somebody's counting on you to finish that piece. Don't let them down?
Okay, peace out y'all.
This is also your reminder for January:
Anyone who is currently writing a story, letter, blog, column, or whatever, go right now and add a paragraph. If you put it off, it won't happen. So stop what you're doing and write, just a little bit, for today. Make it your goal to finish that story, letter, etc. If you can, find time every day or every week to add just a little bit more. Let's get these things written!
This is something else you can hold me accountable for, then. I hope to do little "writing reminders" every month so everyone has a specific reason to write. Remember, somebody's counting on you to finish that piece. Don't let them down?
Okay, peace out y'all.
-Abby
Monday, December 7, 2015
Why?
After a conversation with my friend, I've had the realization that this page has no purpose. Not to say that I don't know its purpose, but rather, you don't know its purpose.
I won't lie: not only did this page begin without purpose, it wasn't even my idea to start it. But after some contemplation and decisions on what I wanted to write, and how those things were related, I settled on a theme. Broadly put, inspiration.
Now, I know I'm not the best person you could find to talk about inspiration, but I also know that inspiration can come from nearly anything. And don't worry; I won't attempt a motivational speech (unless you consider this post one). My main goal is still improvement on my own writing. However, I'd also like to inspire you to write. Whether that comes about because you enjoy my work, or because you can't stand it and vow to do better, that goal remains the same.
My other goal is to inspire to read. Obviously, if a passage is bad enough to evoke the aforementioned response, it won't make you want to read another. Therefore, I'll try to censor what I post here to only my best work, if you in turn will bear in mind that I am a young author, still learning how to write in the best way I can.
If you like what you read here, let me know. Or, better yet, let the world know. Write your own story. Finish that book you were working on. Make a sequel. Or read; support other amateur authors. Help them get their awesome work out there.
What I'm saying is do something. There's someone out there who needs your support, your review, your story. Don't let them go unheard. I see amazing stuff made by amazing people every day. I can't wait to see what you create.
I won't lie: not only did this page begin without purpose, it wasn't even my idea to start it. But after some contemplation and decisions on what I wanted to write, and how those things were related, I settled on a theme. Broadly put, inspiration.
Now, I know I'm not the best person you could find to talk about inspiration, but I also know that inspiration can come from nearly anything. And don't worry; I won't attempt a motivational speech (unless you consider this post one). My main goal is still improvement on my own writing. However, I'd also like to inspire you to write. Whether that comes about because you enjoy my work, or because you can't stand it and vow to do better, that goal remains the same.
My other goal is to inspire to read. Obviously, if a passage is bad enough to evoke the aforementioned response, it won't make you want to read another. Therefore, I'll try to censor what I post here to only my best work, if you in turn will bear in mind that I am a young author, still learning how to write in the best way I can.
If you like what you read here, let me know. Or, better yet, let the world know. Write your own story. Finish that book you were working on. Make a sequel. Or read; support other amateur authors. Help them get their awesome work out there.
What I'm saying is do something. There's someone out there who needs your support, your review, your story. Don't let them go unheard. I see amazing stuff made by amazing people every day. I can't wait to see what you create.
-Abby
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